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NCAA WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIESJune 3, 2012Dallas EscobedoAmber FreemanAnnie LockwoodClint MyersOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA – 5 THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Arizona State Head Coach Clint Myers, student‑athletes Dallas Escobedo, Amber Freeman, and Annie Lockwood. Coach, an opening comment. COACH MYERS: First, I want to thank the people of Oklahoma City, the NCAA committee, the championship committee. I thought Sharon Cessna did an outstanding job. Probably the hardest workers in the entire time were the grounds crew. I mean, they had some adverse weather, and they were out there this morning probably before light came out, and those guys did just a magnificent job and deserve a raise. So whoever is paying them, give them a raise. But again, this has been a great experience for us. We fell a little short. I'm extremely proud of our players. They didn't quit. They have great hearts, and we've said it all along. I mean, these bunch of ladies will make a difference. In my opinion, these people will make the world a better place. THE MODERATOR: Questions? Q. Coach, you saw this Oklahoma team last year here. How are they different now than they were a year ago? COACH MYERS: They're a year older. I mean, they've got that experience. And they didn't like how it ended last year. And they played with great enthusiasm. I mean, Patty does a great job as far as getting her kids ready. Again, it's experience. They recruit hard. When we play, it's a battle. And it's two great pitchers with great teams behind them. And we'll play again next year. So it's going to be fun. Q. Coach, it seemed like there were a lot of bounces that just didn't go your way, some plays that could have gone either way, and they just happened to go Oklahoma's way. Some balls that fell in, ball that looped into right field, the ball that Alix almost caught and the popup to third that dropped, did you get that sense especially in that third inning that those plays just kind of snowballed? COACH MYERS: You gotta have a little luck in this game. I mean, it was highly skilled on both sides. Again, it's a different ballgame if a couple of bars fall in, so it's just what it is. We make no excuses. It's just the way it happened. And great teams have to be ready for the adversity of that. And we gotta be able to bounce back and go. And we came up just a little bit short today. Q. After that last out, what did you say to your team in that huddle down the right field line? COACH MYERS: Actually, I didn't say a whole lot there. Just get to the locker room. But we talked in the locker room. And, again, I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I'm extremely proud of these young ladies. To play for me for 36, 7 weeks, whatever it was, and the number of hours and the sweat and if preparation and everything else‑‑ I mean, it is‑‑ and to carry a 3.3 GPA or a 3.4, which we had better grades this year, this semester than the fall. I mean, they work extremely hard. We just talked about the commitment, and every single coach told them how proud we are of their effort, of their heart and their ability. And we know that we're going to be better next year because we're going to be a year older and we're young. We're young. We started three freshmen and two sophomores, and we're young. So those freshmen will be sophomores. Those sophomores will be juniors, and we'll be back here. We'll be back here. Q. Annie, my first question is for you. You really stepped into the leadership role this year, you changed position. So how do you judge this season personally and as a leader of this team? ANNIE LOCKWOOD: I mean, I'm pleased with myself. I mean, I'm always going to say there's more room for improvement. Clearly it's over as a senior or a player here. But there's always things you could have done better or things you wish you would have done. But I'm so proud of the team we have. I'm so blessed to be a part of it. And playing for Coach all these years has been fun. The young talent we have, like Coach said, is just outstanding, and I'm so proud that I can say when they are here next year that I was a part of that and that I helped lead that team or that I was in any way associated with it. So I'm very pleased with the team that we have and the way we finished. I mean, it's not the way exactly we wanted to go, but we knew we were going to be here and we battled that game. Like Coach and everyone else said, if one or two things go more our way, I believe that game was ours and we were going to have to face her face one more time. Q. Talking about that, you guys had nine left on base this game. So did that speak about the battle and how tough this game actually was? ANNIE LOCKWOOD: Absolutely. I mean, we had just that one bad inning where a few squeak in and they just fall and we don't get those plays when we needed them. But we made her work very hard today. And I hope that kind of‑‑ no offense‑‑ I mean, I hope them all the best, but that's going to leave her tired for the rest of the week. I know that we played a big part in that should something bad‑‑ not bad‑‑ you know what I'm saying. We had a lot of 3‑2 counts. We made her work really hard. We were in her head, I feel like, the whole game. We started early and we kept it going the whole time, so I'm really proud. But clearly, we did leave quite a few on base. Q. Dallas, how tough of a game was this for you? DALLAS ESCOBEDO: It was very tough. I went in and knew they were a great lineup. I was excited. We played them twice last year, so I knew kind of an idea what they had to offer. And I felt great. I felt like I pitched a great game. So it was good. Q. You got a lot of strikeouts. Talk a little bit about that, talking a little bit about that how you had your ball moving, how you played. DALLAS ESCOBEDO: I mainly focused on my corners. I threw my rise ball the majority of the time today, and it was working. It was going all over the place, I guess. I don't know. I just released it in my hand and it goes wherever it wants. Other than that, I felt great. My ball was moving, my speed was up there. I was throwing probably the hardest I threw all week, I felt like. And so being able to put up a good fight between me and, like, their best batters, I felt great. Q. Amber, Keilani Ricketts came into this game having pretty much dominated her last two. You guys got to her for two runs in the first inning. You in particular had a very good game. What was the confidence level of you and this whole team coming and facing a pitcher like that? AMBER FREEMAN: We were very confident. We know Ricketts is a great pitcher, but our goal for this game was to make her work. And like Annie said and Coach said, we definitely made her work. We had a lot of full counts, a lot of pitches fouled off. So I think we did a great job. We came up short, but I think we swung the bats pretty well. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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