May 16, 2008
Head Coach Clint Myers
On the game overall:
"First off I have to say that the young lady from Stony Brook [Alyssa Struzenberg] pitched an amazing game. And while she had a great outing, I also know that we didn't stick to our plan tonight. While we're happy for the win, we're a better team than what we showed. We need to execute more and do the little things right. We're a better team than we showed tonight and we plan to show that tomorrow and for the rest of our time in the tournament."
On ASU pitcher Megan Elliott's outing tonight:
"Megan pitched outstanding for us tonight, just as we knew she would. She got into trouble situations and worked her way out of it and always remained calm and in the game. She's a great pitcher and we put her out there knowing she would take the win like she did."
On the match-up versus tomorrow:
" played an outstanding game today and we need to be prepared for that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day and we plan on being a different team tomorrow, the team we have been all year. We will execute and we will have clutch hitting. All season long we've been able to stay in our game and play how we know we can. If they come out to score two, we'll score three. That's the mentality we have to take into it. They were tremendous on offense, both and combined for about 30 hits and 16 runs, and while that's impressive if we come out and play softball, we believe we can beat anyone."
Winning pitcher Megan Elliott
On the game tonight:
"I was definitely jittery at first; I came into the game knowing it was the postseason and how much it meant. And all I could do was take a step back and a deep breath and focused. I kept to the plan, and Kristen Miller just guided me the whole way. She'd call the pitch, I'd throw it, you get through it pitch by pitch."
Senior outfielder Jackie Vasquez
On the team tonight:
"I think we took ourselves out of the game mentally tonight. We felt like because this was Regionals that we had to come out huge and come out dominating. What we need to realize is that we need to stick with what worked for us all season, going out and playing our game, which is what's brought us so many wins this year. My first two at-bats I tried too hard to make it happen, then on my third (an RBI single) I calmed down and took the count deep, fouling off to make contact until I found the pitch I wanted. That's how we play, that's A State ball. What we showed tonight wasn't, but what we'll show tomorrow will be."
Junior outfielder Kaitlin Cochran
On Stony Brook's pitcher:
"Alyssa was awesome tonight, she kept us off balance and made great choices with her pitches."
On the game:
"We definitely could have been stronger tonight, and I feel like we got out of our original game plan. We need to turn it around to come out tomorrow and stick to what's worked all season long."