|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NCAA WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIESMay 31, 2012Dallas EscobedoAmber FreemanAlix JohnsonClint MyersOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA Arizona State – 3 THE MODERATOR: Joining us from Arizona State, we have Head Coach Clint Myers and student‑athletes Dallas Escobedo, Amber Freeman, and Alix Johnson. Opening comment, Coach? COACH MYERS: I thought Dallas pitched very well. Oregon was an outstanding ballclub, a Pac‑12 team that has really come a long ways, and they're going to be a force to be reckoned with for a long time. They've got great coaching, great athletes. So it was a good softball game. THE MODERATOR: Questions? Q. Dallas, for the most part, you picked up right where you left off last year here. How great did it feel getting back into that circle here in Oklahoma City? DALLAS ESCOBEDO: Definitely brought back memories. I was excited about that. I'm glad to be back. We're a different team, and we have the same goals. So it was fun. It definitely made me rethink last year when I was walking out in the first inning. Q. This is an Oregon team and a lineup that you faced before in the regular season. Do you think that gave you an advantage as far as knowing their tendencies and how to attack them? DALLAS ESCOBEDO: I did know what to expect for the most part, but they did come out very aggressive. So I was kind of thrown off. But then going back to what I knew and what my best pitch was, and really focusing in and seeing what they were doing while I was pitching, I had to just focus in and mentally get through it. Q. Amber, I just want to ask you about the mental challenges of coming in as a freshman into a tournament like this. How did you address them and going about your daily business, what did you do to try and overcome that? AMBER FREEMAN: Before the game, honestly, I was a little nervous. But when I stepped into the box, I just told myself it was just another softball game. I've been playing softball my whole life. So I just looked at it like that, to keep myself relaxed, because this is a big deal. This has been my dream since I was a little girl. So I just wanted to stay as calm and relaxed as possible. I just told myself to go out there and have fun. Q. Well, also, last time you played Jessica, you guys lost 3‑0. So what did you take from that game, and especially what did you take from her, knowing her pitches and what she was going to throw? AMBER FREEMAN: First time I hit off her I struggled. And I told myself that I needed to get good pitches this game. And I think that's why I was so successful in that, because I waited for my pitch instead of swinging at her pitches. Q. Coach, you're the last of the top 4 seeds. Your team is the last top 4 seeds to advance. How do you think the road looks for you in the winner's bracket all the way? COACH MYERS: Again, there's eight great teams here. And whoeveryou have to play, who is in the dugout across the way, we gotta play. I mean, I'm hoping that they're thinking the same way I am, that it's going to be a heck of a ballgame, and we just gotta go out and take care of business and do the things that we prepared for and worked really hard at and execute and get the job done. Q. Alix, playing a team three times in one season, this last one coming into the postseason, what was different about this game from the first two? ALIX JOHNSON: Obviously there's a lot more at stake since we're at the World Series, but I just wanted to approach the game with no surprises. Obviously we had played them multiple times before this, so just had to trust our preparation. We knew what she was going to throw. We had faced her a couple of times in Pac‑12. So to just bring our best at‑bats to the table, and Dallas pitched a heck of a ballgame. So very well. Q.  Coach Myers, this question is for you: What can you do offensively better? You got three hits in this game. What can you do with the lineup? COACH MYERS: Well, I don't think we're going to do much with the lineup. I mean, there was only three strikeouts. We did get four walks. We did get a timely hit, and we did square up a couple balls. But we've gotta do a better job of making better contact. And, again, we talked about it after the game. The same thing happened to us against Syracuse. The same thing happened to us against ULL. I mean, the first game of each of these series. And we've had a little bit of a lack of performance, but we've always been able to bounce back with a much better, proficient execution of what we need to do. So these girls are amazing. And I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Q. Coach, can you talk about that play that Haley Steele made in the last inning and her presence of mind, not only to make the catch on the sharp liner, but then to find the bag and get the double play? COACH MYERS: Again, Haley Steele is‑‑ it was a hell of a play. I mean, it really was. She's a freshman. And she's going to be a great player before she runs out of eligibility at Arizona State. She's hitting third, she's playing a great third base, so we just have to keep things going and get things done. But it was a hell of a play. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|