Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gajewski, Cowgirls Preview Fall Season
September 25, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State softball team opens its fall slate this week with matchup against Seminole State on Tuesday and Butler County on Thursday. Here's a look at what head coach Kenny Gajewski and the Cowgirls had to say:
Head Coach Kenny Gajewski
On his thoughts about starting the fall season:
"We talked as a staff this morning and the most important thing for us is figuring out how we're going to get enough playing time for all of these kids. We've got a lot of competition that's going on right now and the most important thing is to see these new kids play. With our older kids, we've seen them enough so we think we know what we've got. We know they can play, but they still need at-bats. With these new kids, we need to see what they can do against other teams."
On how they handle splitting up playing time between players:
"This first game, the most important thing is that we have a lot of veterans back, so they'll play. They'll start. I think the biggest thing is just making sure we don't get somebody warm, cool them down and then have to try to go get them warm again. We've got a good system to work with where we basically have two infield groups. The problem we have – it's a good problem though – is that we have a bunch of outfielders and we need to make sure they get playing time. We've got four pitchers who are eligible to pitch and we'll get them rolling. Two of them will throw three innings and the other will throw two and then the next game we'll rotate that. I want to make sure all of those kids get to play a lot."
On the new crop of pitchers with the team this season:
"Emmie (Robertson) has shown us a lot. She's very seasoned and she's a competitor. That's what I love. I think one of the things people are going to like about her is that she works fast. She has a great tempo out there. She pounds the strike zone and throws a lot of strikes. She is competitive and her stuff is good enough. I just like her makeup. She's going to give us a lot. Kendal (Judge) has been good. She's had some good outings in our intrasquad games and she's had some OK ones. So for her it's just gaining that consistency. She didn't pitch a lot this last year. I think she only had four of five innings, so it's just not a lot. For her, it's just getting back into pitching in games and meaningful types of situations. And then Samantha (Clakley) has been really good. She's pitching really well, but right now, she's ineligible so you won't get to see her unless you come to watch her in our intersquads. She's ineligible because of her transfer."
Outfielder Maddi Holcomb
On the team's individual workouts over the summer:
"While we were here over the summer, we really working to get faster, stronger and more conditioned. As a team, we know that all of the hard work we've put in during the summer and fall is what is going to pay off in the spring, so we all know that you have to give it your all every day and that's kind of our motto. Leave it all out there."
On realizing the level that OSU Softball is at:
"We beat Florida and had some close games with them and then we played OU close all year long, so seeing them in the World Series was kind of eye-opening for everyone to see that we can play with these teams and beat these teams, so we know that can be us out there."
On Elise LeBeouf's transition to Oklahoma State:
"I think she's doing amazing. Her arm is unbelievable. She has great range and is confident out there. That's what we need out there is that confidence and she's very talented. She's also willing to do whatever because she's very coachable. She didn't always do things the same way where she was at, but she's already bought in to everything here and everyday she's trying to get better."
First Baseman Jessi Haffner
On her thoughts about the fall season:
"We're all really excited to get out there and play someone that's wearing a different uniform than us and see what we have to offer. We also want to get those new kids out there to see what they can do outside of practice games. I think it's going to be good and this week is going to be a lot of fun."
On the pitching staff:
"They've all been developing a lot. Emmie Robertson is going to bring some fire, Logan (Simunek) has a chip on her shoulder and is ready to come back again, Whitney (Whitehorn) is coming back too, stronger than ever from surgeries and stuff. The pitching staff is going to crush it this year and we're not worried about them at all. We have complete faith in all of them, so we're excited."
On all five starting infielders from 2017 returning this season:
"We all know how to communicate with each other and we hope that the younger kids will kind of learn from us and pick up on that, so hopefully next year they'll already be set perfectly defensively because they were able to pick something up from us."
Head Coach Kenny Gajewski
On his thoughts about starting the fall season:
"We talked as a staff this morning and the most important thing for us is figuring out how we're going to get enough playing time for all of these kids. We've got a lot of competition that's going on right now and the most important thing is to see these new kids play. With our older kids, we've seen them enough so we think we know what we've got. We know they can play, but they still need at-bats. With these new kids, we need to see what they can do against other teams."
On how they handle splitting up playing time between players:
"This first game, the most important thing is that we have a lot of veterans back, so they'll play. They'll start. I think the biggest thing is just making sure we don't get somebody warm, cool them down and then have to try to go get them warm again. We've got a good system to work with where we basically have two infield groups. The problem we have – it's a good problem though – is that we have a bunch of outfielders and we need to make sure they get playing time. We've got four pitchers who are eligible to pitch and we'll get them rolling. Two of them will throw three innings and the other will throw two and then the next game we'll rotate that. I want to make sure all of those kids get to play a lot."
On the new crop of pitchers with the team this season:
"Emmie (Robertson) has shown us a lot. She's very seasoned and she's a competitor. That's what I love. I think one of the things people are going to like about her is that she works fast. She has a great tempo out there. She pounds the strike zone and throws a lot of strikes. She is competitive and her stuff is good enough. I just like her makeup. She's going to give us a lot. Kendal (Judge) has been good. She's had some good outings in our intrasquad games and she's had some OK ones. So for her it's just gaining that consistency. She didn't pitch a lot this last year. I think she only had four of five innings, so it's just not a lot. For her, it's just getting back into pitching in games and meaningful types of situations. And then Samantha (Clakley) has been really good. She's pitching really well, but right now, she's ineligible so you won't get to see her unless you come to watch her in our intersquads. She's ineligible because of her transfer."
Outfielder Maddi Holcomb
On the team's individual workouts over the summer:
"While we were here over the summer, we really working to get faster, stronger and more conditioned. As a team, we know that all of the hard work we've put in during the summer and fall is what is going to pay off in the spring, so we all know that you have to give it your all every day and that's kind of our motto. Leave it all out there."
On realizing the level that OSU Softball is at:
"We beat Florida and had some close games with them and then we played OU close all year long, so seeing them in the World Series was kind of eye-opening for everyone to see that we can play with these teams and beat these teams, so we know that can be us out there."
On Elise LeBeouf's transition to Oklahoma State:
"I think she's doing amazing. Her arm is unbelievable. She has great range and is confident out there. That's what we need out there is that confidence and she's very talented. She's also willing to do whatever because she's very coachable. She didn't always do things the same way where she was at, but she's already bought in to everything here and everyday she's trying to get better."
First Baseman Jessi Haffner
On her thoughts about the fall season:
"We're all really excited to get out there and play someone that's wearing a different uniform than us and see what we have to offer. We also want to get those new kids out there to see what they can do outside of practice games. I think it's going to be good and this week is going to be a lot of fun."
On the pitching staff:
"They've all been developing a lot. Emmie Robertson is going to bring some fire, Logan (Simunek) has a chip on her shoulder and is ready to come back again, Whitney (Whitehorn) is coming back too, stronger than ever from surgeries and stuff. The pitching staff is going to crush it this year and we're not worried about them at all. We have complete faith in all of them, so we're excited."
On all five starting infielders from 2017 returning this season:
"We all know how to communicate with each other and we hope that the younger kids will kind of learn from us and pick up on that, so hopefully next year they'll already be set perfectly defensively because they were able to pick something up from us."
Players Mentioned
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