May 16, 2015

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Postgame Quotes

Head coach Glenn Moore

Opening Statement: "It was good to start off with a win. I thought we came out of the blocks very aggressive making some things happen. Things were going our way early, and then we had to deal with the adversity of the rain delay, both teams did. But I thought that was a little bit of a momentum changer right there. It went more in Mississippi State's favor, and they did a great job of executing, getting key hits, but I thought we kept our composure, and Heather [Stearns] did a great job. We had great at-bats, we were running the count deep into some of those counts. Although I thought our intensity in the box and our focus in the box was big tonight. I'm really proud of the way the girls played, considering the adversity of the weather."

On the plan during the rain delay: "You never know how long the rain delay is going to be, so what you don't want to have happen is what actually happened: you don't want the girls to get cold. We sent them into the locker room and I didn't go in there until later, and when I went in there it was an icebox. So I brought them back out and they were a pretty lively bunch today so they know what they need to do and they loosened up on their own. We had plenty of time to get warm, but it was cold in that locker room and that's not what you really want in a situation especially when a team comes out of the blocks the way we did.

On drawing on last year's success: "You always draw on past experiences to help you out. We've talked about that; we do it throughout the year. It's not unusual. But we finished the year ironically similar last year to the way we finished this year, in the regular season we lost in Austin. I'm disappointed in that and we need to find a way to change that, but at the same time, you do all your work to get to an NCAA tournament and be one of the 64 teams, and then as someone said earlier it's a new season. They've got their finals behind them, they're ready to play ball, they're excited, and they showed up today ready to play the way Baylor teams usually play in the NCAAs.

P Heather Stearns

On the relief of P Kendall Potts in the last few innings: "It was really nice to see Kendall go out there and do well. I was really proud of her. I know she's had her ups and downs this season but it's going to be important for this pitching staff to work together in this postseason. One player and one pitcher can't make it, so it was really good to see her go out and do well and I know all of us are proud of her for that.

INF Shelby Friudenberg

On her first NCAA tournament game: "It was really fun. It's been very exciting, we've been playing all season for this. It's just exciting to be in the postseason now. The best thing I can do when I go up to bat is not think. When I tend to think more, I kind of start getting nervous and freak out a little bit, so when I don't think I do my best, and that's my key is just don't think.

INF Ari Hawkins

On her RBI and feeling after Game 1: "When I was up to bat I just focused on seeing the pitches that I wanted to see and just driving it up the middle. Coming out with our first win it's great. It's preparing us for the future and just taking one game at a time.