May 18, 2008
Oklahoma Head Coach Patty Gasso
On the game:
"This is a huge part in trying to accomplish our goal of making it to the College World Series. I thought this was a great weekend for us. Everyone stepped up the way they needed to and answered the call. I was very pleased with our efforts in the way we came out and attacked early and set the tone."
On the play of D.J. Mathis:
"Another gutsy effort by D.J. (Mathis) after a long day yesterday and really being on her game. She really, looked good with nine strikeouts and a one-hitter. "
On adjustments made from yesterday:
"Better pitch selection was mostly what we were looking to do and also get balls in the zone while not chasing things. The hitters did a really good job of that and executing. They got their jobs done but there is not a lot of execution when these guys come up here and hit bombs."
Oklahoma Infielder Savannah Long
On her performance:
"We won. Personally, I am happy but more happy that we won as a team than anything else. I am excited to keep continuing on and winning and hopefully make it to the College World Series."
On it being the seniors last home game:
"I knew that was not going to be our last game and I know that we are capable of great things and I know that the best is yet to come. We are just looking forward to what is ahead of us."
On her home run:
"Honestly I was going up to the plate to drive something hard. I was not trying to pull anything over the yard, I was just looking for a good pitch."
Oklahoma Pitcher D.J. Mathis
On adjusting game plan:
"I was hitting my spots a lot better today than I was yesterday. Lindsey (Vandever) and I just stuck with our game plan and came out and did our job."
Oklahoma Outfielder Susan Ogden
On goal of making it to the College World Series:
"I can't even tell you how bad we want to get there (World Series). Since last year we have been talking about how this was the year we were going to make it, no matter what it took. We are so pumped to go out to Arizona and play them."
Oregon Coach Kathy Arendsen
On the game:
"Well that wasn't how it was supposed to go, it was not what we planned. and prepared for. Obviously, I think the difference was more Oklahoma's pitching in the two times we have faced them and not their hitting, which was pretty impressive today. Hats off to Oklahoma, they deserved it, they were better than we were in this tournament."
On D.J. Mathis:
"She is feisty, gritty, and she spins the ball well, but there is nothing that you think 'wow', but on the other hand, she is incredibly successful, and very effective. She was very good and deserves all the honors she has gotten, that is for sure."
On the season:
"This team has been up and down more than any team I've coached. We lost three outstanding seniors like many teams do every year, but we also found out late that our All-American shortstop and second leading hitter in the country was going to have to take the year off to play for Canada in the Olympics. We didn't fully ever find a rhythm, we were just up and down."
Oregon Senior Lovena Chaput
On the season:
"I think the team was up and down, we would peak and be a good team and then we would fall right back down, it was just a season of ups and downs. All year we were trying to get up and move up and stay up but it was just up and down. Just like when we were here. We were down, then had two great games yesterday, and then we fell down again today. I felt like we were ready to go today, we were ready to play, everybody was confident but it just wasn't our day."
On the future of Oregon Softball:
"I think they have a lot of potential. I think that is the best word to describe the team that I am leaving. They are great learners, and they are going to take everything in that Coach tells them. They are going to get better, they will get better. They will take this in stride, and learn from this, and use this for years to come."
