Oklahoma Softball's Texas A&M Commerce Postgame Press Conference (3/6/24)
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00:00 >> Patty, just how big was it today for
00:02 the hitting to start kind of from the beginning?
00:06 How big was that?
00:07 >> Almost expected.
00:09 I think they were ready to get back on the field and make things right.
00:13 So to put five up that early was a good start for us.
00:16 >> And Cassidy, sort of same thing for you.
00:22 How important did you feel like it was to start this game off in a big way
00:27 on offense after what happened on Sunday?
00:30 >> We really just tried to get back to center softball,
00:33 scoring early, just our main keys.
00:36 >> And then also the defensive element of that.
00:39 >> Just staying true to ourselves, like errors happen, just playing our defense.
00:44 >> Cassidy, you've probably seen Ella hit a lot of home runs,
00:48 the VP and such, but that one never really came off the ground.
00:51 What was it like to see the way she struck the ball and
00:53 just the swing she had on the ball?
00:56 >> Off the bat, I knew it was over from second, so
00:58 it was cool to see her get that hit.
00:59 >> Last weekend, coach said it's almost like you guys aren't freshmen,
01:05 the way that you talk about hitting, things like that.
01:07 Have you ever felt that, or was it just seamless, dropping straight in with
01:11 the program and just chugging along and
01:14 just starting to learn from the veterans and stuff like that?
01:17 >> Coming in, there was a lot to learn.
01:19 The game is so much different here, but
01:21 it's still the same game you play when you're little, so age doesn't really matter.
01:24 Just hop in and try to keep up.
01:26 >> And Kirsten, how do you feel like things are going for you?
01:30 We talked in California about that outing out there and
01:35 how it could help you springboard.
01:37 How do you feel like you've responded since then,
01:39 not only today, but these last couple outings?
01:42 >> Yeah, just definitely going out there and having confidence and
01:45 trusting my defense and trusting our offense.
01:47 I mean, just pitching out there and being free has been really nice.
01:51 >> Kirsten, I thought it was really neat sending on social media.
01:55 We saw the baptism and you talk a little bit about that.
01:58 >> Yeah, it's definitely something I've been wanting to do.
02:01 I felt like it was just the perfect timing and
02:03 obviously God's plan was for something to be bigger than just softball that day.
02:06 So it was really nice, it was really cool.
02:09 >> Patty, you got a big 12 starting up.
02:15 Maybe this game just was good to have a midweek game after last week to go into
02:18 comfort to play, get a little bit of rhythm for the three game series.
02:23 >> Yeah, we needed this.
02:24 We needed to get last weekend off us a little bit.
02:28 And the talk that we've had is more fight, we need more fight.
02:33 We need more relentlessness for this team.
02:38 I wasn't really pleased with the way the game ended for us offensively,
02:42 where Lena comes up and just drills one down the line.
02:44 And then we have three straight outs the same way.
02:47 It's unacceptable for this team.
02:49 It's underachieving for this team.
02:52 It's not understanding the situation, the circumstance for this team.
02:56 And that is not relentless.
02:59 In order to get what you want out of this conference,
03:03 you've got to be ready to play and never waste a pitch,
03:07 never wasted it bad or you're gonna get beat.
03:10 And that's something that we need to start to showcase a little bit more.
03:14 We've been running through our schedule okay, doing enough, doing well,
03:20 but we've got to go to another level.
03:23 >> Cassidy, after the chaos from last weekend, just the opening and
03:27 then obviously the loss on Sunday,
03:29 did today kind of feel a little bit more like a normal home game?
03:32 Do you guys feel a little bit more comfortable playing here now?
03:36 >> Yeah, it's our stadium, so it's home, but the world didn't end when we lost.
03:40 So you just keep going day by day.
03:42 >> You're really a smart freshman.
03:48 >> [LAUGH] >> Patty, but-
03:51 >> You're a wise old lady.
03:52 >> [LAUGH] >> When you talk about every pitch
03:55 matters, how helpful is it when you turn to your bench and
03:59 you get production in those pinch hit at bats later on to be able to turn over and
04:05 go, see, pop that in there, stuff like that.
04:08 >> Yeah, I love doing that and I love when they come through because these
04:13 are the athletes that work really hard behind the scenes.
04:17 And maybe just, like Tiare is a staple,
04:22 Jada is a staple, Boone is a staple, Brito is a staple.
04:26 And these guys want time, so I try to give it to them, cuz they do well.
04:31 I don't take somebody out and go, no, please.
04:34 I'm very confident with them.
04:37 And so to be able to do what I'm doing, like I did today, and
04:42 give these guys the opportunity, they need opportunity.
04:45 It's not in a game, it's a practice, and you've got to shine at practice,
04:50 cuz that's the only chance I really get to see where you are and
04:53 what you're doing, so we talked a little bit about that.
04:56 But it's a very deep bench, it's a very deep pitching staff.
05:01 We're very fortunate to have that.
05:03 >> Avery Hodge, just a double, I mean, it looked like it was a routine single,
05:08 she stretches to a double.
05:09 Is that the kind of hustle, the kind of, this is a big strategy?
05:12 >> Yes, that's what we're talking about.
05:14 And that is a smart hitter, saying, I don't need to hit it to the fence.
05:19 Let me just poke it.
05:21 She knows exactly how to do it, and they're playing deep, so
05:25 she should be seeing, wow, they're playing me very deep.
05:28 I can just drop one in here, and it's an automatic double for her.
05:32 As soon as she hit it, we knew she'd be at second.
05:35 So it's just reading, knowing, it's selfless smarts.
05:38 That's what we need besides this relentless attitude.
05:42 [BLANK_AUDIO]