May 15, 2009 | NCAA Softball Norman Regional | Norman, Okla.
TULSA HEAD COACH JOHN BARGFELDT
Opening statement...
"If you had to write a script, this is exactly how you would write it. You get out to an early lead and your pitcher goes out there and keeps throwing zero's for you so that you can keep tacking on. I can't see enough about our defense. They made some outstanding plays that got us out of one jam that I remember for sure. But then other plays like the backhand play the shortstop made (Yarmer) I don't think there were any outs so that just helps to stifle rallies when your defense is playing that well. I was proud of our girls on our defense and I was proud on our clutch hitting too. I don't know how many of our RBIs came with two outs, but that is something we have been doing quite awhile since we have been playing well."
On pitcher Jackie Lawrence...
"Jackie pitched an outstanding game. Obviously she only gives up one hit and wasn't a strikeout pitcher like she has been against some teams, but the think I look at when she's pitching, is how many hitters squared the ball up on her. There wasn't too many that squared the ball up on her today. That means she's got some movement going on and some good locations going on. Again, that is the way she has been pitching for us for the last five weeks and it was nice to see that effort continue."
On preparing for tomorrow...
"We have been doing the same thing since we got in a conference situation where we won 10 games in a row in order to win the regular season championship. And we have been just taking the same approach every game and that is just play the way that we have played. We aren't going to try and do anything special. We got out there and do what our game plan is and if it is good enough great and if it isn't we tip our hats to the team and go on."
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ARKANSAS HEAD COACH JAMIE PINKERTON
Opening statement:
"It was a frustrating game for us because I thought after the first inning, we gave up a couple of runs early and then once again dug our offense a hole. I thought we made contact; I thought we hit the ball hard, and we only had three strikeouts. When things haven't been going well for us this year we roll up seven, eight or nine strikeouts a game. I thought we hit the ball well at times and hit it right at people, but that's just the game of softball. Defensively we made a couple of errors, but it didn't effect us so we were able to pitch around that. Overall, when you only have one hit you aren't going win a lot of ball games."
On solving the Arkansas problem:
"We just had a rough go, and we just have to figure out a way to fight our way out of it. These kids fight hard and play hard everyday, and they are probably putting a little too much pressure on themselves. Give credit to Tulsa. Jackie Lawrence threw an excellent game. Hopefully, we will figure some things out. We had a great day in the cage yesterday and probably one of the best weeks of practice we've had, they got finals out of the way and there wasn't a lot of pressure on them. I know they have been hitting the ball right back at me when I've been throwing live so I liked our week of preparation."
On what he told the team after the game:
"I think it will just take a couple hits in a row and score a couple of runs to get this time on a roll and when they do we can swing it. What I just told them was to hang tough and keep rolling. As you saw today a lot of balls went to people and Tulsa had a few that dropped. When things aren't going well that's what happens and today wasn't our day."
On getting ready for tomorrow:
"Like I always tell them when we make a mistake, pick up a handful of dirt and throw it off to the side because it's over and you can't do anything about and you can't get anything back. You can't rewind the clock and reset it and hit play again and make it right. All you got to do is try to forget and come out and play. Whether it is Oklahoma or North Dakota State, our mindset is to worry about the Arkansas Razorbacks. Tomorrow we just come out and decide what the starting lineup is and it is a new day."
