OU Softball: INF Alynah Torres and INF Cydney Sanders Pre-Texas A&M Commerce and Iowa State (3/5/24)
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00:00 >> Yeah, really for both y'all, I guess starting off with Sidney,
00:04 with some of the stuff that y'all have gone through early in the season,
00:10 maybe things not going as smoothly as you would have liked to play especially.
00:16 How have you been able to sort of fight through that and
00:19 come out of it on the other side?
00:22 >> Just playing free, honestly, I felt myself a little this weekend,
00:26 just not really thinking about anything and just going for it.
00:31 I feel like that's when I play at my best.
00:33 So I think that's something I should be doing going forth and
00:38 I think we'll see a big difference.
00:40 >> Yeah, just going back to the basics of this game,
00:43 we're gonna fail more than we're gonna succeed.
00:45 And kind of putting that in the back of your head, like, hey,
00:48 let's have a good process and let's go through the things that you need to do
00:51 off the field and then prepare it so that when we're on the field it's ready to go.
00:55 But I mean, adversity is a big thing in this game and
00:57 if we can get those early struggles on early,
01:00 then it will work out later in the year for us, so.
01:03 >> And then a quick follow up for you, Sydney.
01:06 One of the things that Patty just talked about was that you were still able to,
01:09 even when you weren't getting rewarded with hits,
01:12 still able to put together good at bats, draw walks, things like that.
01:17 Where do you feel like it's been the key to that and how important has that been in
01:21 turning things around, you feel like?
01:24 >> I feel like I try to have a really good eye at the plate,
01:28 just getting on base whenever I can for my team.
01:31 Yeah, I finally was able to hit the ball this weekend, so it was fun.
01:37 I don't know, it was like a different story from the previous weeks, but
01:42 I like walks too, they're just as good as a hit, so.
01:46 >> And then you get rewarded with that free run double.
01:49 >> Yeah.
01:49 >> [LAUGH]
01:50 >> That was perfect.
01:51 >> [LAUGH]
01:53 >> Appreciate it.
01:54 >> Ryan Jeffries.
01:55 >> For both of you, you're both veterans and understand the ebbs and
01:58 flows of a season.
01:59 How hard is it though when the slower start is right out of the gate as opposed
02:03 to having a scorch in first three weeks and then a dip and riding that?
02:07 >> Yeah, I think honestly, we're not really looking for
02:12 us to be perfect right now in this time of the year.
02:14 So I think those adversity moments are really good for
02:16 us as a team just to know how we are.
02:18 And I think the best teams know how to fight back from adversity.
02:21 And I think those are the ones that make it the end,
02:23 the ones that know how to deal with those pressure moments and
02:25 maybe not it coming out in the way that we wanted to.
02:28 So that's a big thing for me personally,
02:30 I think everyone on my team I can speak for.
02:32 We like when we're kind of getting hit and
02:34 we're not just always just at the top at 24/7, it's kind of hard to live there.
02:38 So knowing that we know how to bounce back is a big key for us for
02:41 later on in the run.
02:42 >> And you also just kind of learn from everything.
02:46 Not everything is just a bad thing.
02:48 This is something we can learn from and take it into the next game and
02:51 the next game, we learn from every game.
02:53 So I feel like this will be a good thing for us going forward.
02:57 >> How much of a reset button was Sunday?
03:00 You could put subconsciously whatever streak behind you, start over,
03:05 that kind of thing to be able to roll through and keep improving.
03:08 >> Yeah, I think it keeps us free, honestly.
03:10 I mean, we weren't really worried about the streak or
03:12 whatever was going on with that.
03:13 But you said the Tibbara Caps, Louisiana, they had a really good game.
03:16 And I think that really just kind of put a fire under our team.
03:20 And I think it's gonna help us along like Sid was saying.
03:23 So, I mean, you reset every game.
03:25 And I mean, it's hard to go out day in, day out and just perform at your best.
03:28 So I think it's really good for us that we kind of got hit back in the face and
03:32 we know how to respond.
03:33 So it's gonna be exciting to see what this team does for sure.
03:35 >> And this is for both of you.
03:39 You go into each game and you're not sure if you're in the starting lineup.
03:43 So it's just sort of mentally, is it tough to stay mentally ready at all times and
03:49 just that type of challenge?
03:51 >> I would say you just kind of gotta go up there and swing, honestly.
03:56 Like if you swing, good things will happen.
03:58 And I feel like that's what everyone here does when they come off the bench.
04:03 They just go in there and hit.
04:04 Like for Ludd example, she goes in there and you always see her getting on base.
04:08 So I don't think it's like a super big mind game.
04:12 I feel like if you just go up there and swing, you're gonna be okay.
04:15 Like if you're doing that, like I said, just play free, you'll be fine.
04:20 >> Yeah, absolutely.
04:21 It can be hard at times, but I think the biggest thing is our coaches prepare us so
04:25 well in practice that we actually, all of us are always prepared at that moment.
04:28 Because in games or even at practice, we'll be up three, two count.
04:31 Like hey, bases loaded, top seven, you're up two, two count.
04:35 What are you gonna do about it?
04:35 So I think when that goes in the game that we're ready for
04:39 that moment no matter who it is.
04:40 And everyone in our lineup on our bench on the field can do it.
04:44 So it's kind of awesome how you can just pick whoever you want on the bench and
04:47 they're gonna get it done.
04:48 And we all have that faith in them for sure, so yeah.
04:51 >> James.
04:52 >> What kind of hitting background is Ludd Field?
04:58 I mean, is it a good hitter's eye for
04:59 you guys when you're up there as a good hitter's park?
05:02 >> I say it plays really good for hitters.
05:06 >> I was gonna say, definitely a hitter's game over there.
05:08 We're still getting used to the field, it's awesome, it's beautiful.
05:11 But I would say it's definitely in our favor, so that's a good thing.
05:14 >> Any thoughts, Sydney?
05:16 >> Yeah, wind's blowing, yes.
05:20 You can touch the ball and it will fly, so it's amazing.
05:23 >> Big 12 starts this week.
05:25 Any different thoughts about conference games and things like that?
05:30 >> Yeah, we're super excited.
05:33 I think kind of dying down to one game a day is gonna be really helpful just for
05:37 us to kind of figure out what are we doing day in, day out.
05:40 And we can lock in on that one game for that day.
05:42 So, especially for me being a senior, I'm kind of soaking it in.
05:45 It's my last first start of my conference.
05:47 So I'm excited and I'm just ready to have fun and play with my teammates.
05:51 And the best is the best, so yeah.
05:54 >> And this is where competition gets tougher and tougher.
05:57 So we're just gonna keep building and building each game.
05:59 So yeah, I'm excited, I'm just excited.
06:05 >> Jesse.
06:06 >> You guys talked about hitting at lowest field, but maybe the fielding part of it.
06:10 I mean, what was the adjustment getting comfortable there?
06:13 And how important was the weekend maybe in terms of just getting used to
06:16 the way it plays?
06:18 >> Probably just seeing how the ball flies from a defensive perspective.
06:22 Like balls that were shot up to me ended up at second.
06:26 So just figuring that out,
06:28 I feel like that adjustment will be made this previous weekend.
06:33 But I'm ready, I don't know.
06:38 >> Yeah, I agree.
06:39 I mean, we obviously didn't get to touch the field and
06:42 actually take reps when it happened.
06:43 But I think once we're getting more comfortable with it,
06:45 it's gonna be definitely our ballpark.
06:47 And we're excited to own that field and
06:49 show the world Love's Field is the best field in the country, so yeah.
06:53 >> Anything else?
06:56 >> Ryan.
06:56 >> Yeah, Alina, you talk about adjusting to playing on the field.
07:01 You played so many different places on it.
07:04 How difficult is that to get thrown into a new environment like that,
07:07 that you haven't played in and
07:10 having to make those reads from different spots and things like that?
07:14 >> Yeah, I would say it goes back to practice.
07:16 I mean, I take reps everywhere on the field.
07:18 So I think my preparation for it, our coaches are very good about putting us in
07:22 tough positions and situations during practice.
07:25 So in the game, I'm actually not worried at all.
07:26 So if anything, I'm like practice is where I need to figure that out.
07:29 So yeah, it was definitely adjustment just because that was our first time playing on
07:33 it, but just like everybody else.
07:34 And I'm super big on not over thinking anything.
07:37 So when I go out there, I'm just like, okay, ball comes to me,
07:39 field the ball, throw one, let's get it done and have our pictures back for sure.
07:43 >> We're ready to get some more reps over there and
07:46 feel a little bit more comfortable with it.
07:47 >> Yeah, for sure, yeah.
07:48 >> How much different are the pop ups to shallow the outfield when the ball
07:55 breaks the plane of the overhang into the width?
07:58 Is that something that you notice immediately when that happens?
08:01 >> Yeah, I would say the first one was between us.
08:04 I definitely felt that because it started a little bit shallow and
08:07 then it started going.
08:07 So yeah, we kind of felt like the right side, it was not always,
08:12 you know what pop ups go straight up, they kind of stay in that place.
08:14 They kept going.
08:15 So just reading that off the back,
08:17 kind of communicating with whoever's in right field at that point.
08:19 Just like, hey, this is anyone's ball and stay on it type thing.
08:22 >> So just like a more communication, just hey, everyone.
08:25 >> Yeah, it could be my ball, Boone's ball.
08:27 Yeah, but that's the thing in practice, we practice that.
08:29 So once we can start fully practicing on Love's field, we're good, so yeah.