Oklahoma State University Athletics
Postgame Quotes - OSU vs. Connors State
October 18, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball
Head Coach Kenny Gajewski
On his takeaways from the win:
"I thought it was a pretty good game here today. Takeaways that I've got, obviously we really pitched well. I thought that Emmy was really good again, nine strikeouts. She just continues to mow through teams, and it's fun to watch her. I thought that Whitney was really good again. Logan was not quite as sharp, but her stuff is just electric. Good to watch our staff. I think that Coach Cottrill is doing an amazing job. We've got some good young kids that are starting to really put some at-bats together. I'm excited about the way we're playing defense too. We still gotta long way to go. [We had] too many strikeouts. I think we had seven tonight, which is too many in my mind."
On the offense's hot start:
"I think that helps any team when you get kind of lead to cushion. It's kind of nice. I think thats good for us or any team. I think it also kind of has the ability to let down, and I think we kind of let down for a bit there. We put six up early, then four and didn't put up many more runs. We've got to do a better job of continuing to have those better innings When Maddi Holcomb is on and Taylor Lynch can do just about anything with the bat, then you've got Shippy up with runners at first and second base, that's what I think about when I see this lineup. It's exciting. This is an exciting team. We've got some speed, and we've got some power. We have some young kids who are really pushing some veteran kids. It's kind of fun. We're competing each day. I just love the way the offense is starting to grow. We're kind of starting to get a mentality. We're not there yet, but we're starting to morph into what I wanna be, and that's just a little bit of everything. I'm excited about where they're at, at this point."
On looking ahead to Arkansas:
"I think we're getting a lot of people in there and a lot of at bats. Last two games we've really moved our defense around a bunch. We tried to not let kids play five straight. We've kind of gone two-and-one and two-and-one. I kind of like the fact that we're getting some different combos of middle infielders and outfielders. It's gonna be a nice test to go over there to Arkansas. They're much improved over the last couple years, and it'll take all we've got to really play well and win."
On rotating players at Arkansas:
"I haven't thought about that yet. I thought about it in about the ninth here. Do I wanna do the same thing or not? We'll talk about that as a staff and just figure out what's best. Maybe it's better I just let our kids play a full game. It's a double-header, so it's gonna be two more real games as far as the innings go. We'll just kind of wait and see. We've got one pitcher out. I'm not sure if she'll be back for Friday or not, so we're gonna have to get crafty there. We're not trying to extend our kids too much, but we might have to there. We'll just kind of see how that goes."
Pitcher Emmie Robertson
On the game overall:
"It felt awesome. Coach Gajewski mentioned it in our huddle but we had an amazing crowd tonight and for me coming from a small school that was amazing to see for a fall game. We had nobody at our fall games in the past and at my past school so it was awesome to see that and awesome to get in that atmosphere. Tonight my defense was really behind me and I love it. You just feel their energy behind you and it feeds to me on the mound and it's great."
On her ability to strike batters out:
"Jeff (Cottrill) does an awesome job calling pitches, wether Mackenzie Thomas is behind the plate or Raquel Dominguez is behind the plate, they do such a good job of helping me out with the frames and helping me out with everything. They just keep that confidence flowing and knowing that when they do make contact and if I am a contact pitcher in those situations, knowing that my defense has my back, it frees me up to pitch more freely and just have fun with it."
On the pitching staff:
"I think the pitching staff is very solid. Between Whitney, Kendal, Logan and I, I think there are exciting things to come this spring. Coach Jeff (Cottrill)Â as done an awesome job with us and I am excited to see where it goes."
First Base Michaela Richbourg
On her first home run at Oklahoma State:
"It felt great. I have been struggling with getting a solid at-bat but it felt really good."
On how the hit helps her later in the game:
"It just helped me see myself and believe in myself to know that I can do it. I've kind of left myself down and getting up to the plate afterward my last three at-bats, I was telling myself "OK, I can relax and just swing like you know you can.'"
On her first year at Oklahoma State and coming along in the fall:
"I struggled a little at first at timing and getting use to the fast pitch. Coming from a small school we played slow pitch and so I haven't had true live pitching since last October. So coming up and having someone throw 50-60 mph balls at you right off the bat was kind of hard for me at first but I think I am getting the hang of it."Â
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