May 24, 2009
Washington
Head Coach Heather Tarr
Opening Statement on Travelling:
“I think we had the odds against us this postseason, having to travel pretty far in both rounds. I don’t think it would be easy for any team to make two long trips like that to play. First of all, I’m proud of our team for getting out of the first round, secondly I’m proud of how we played this weekend. We got better and better with every at bat and every pitch.”
On Schedule for CWS:
“Right now we’re trying to stay in a rhythm. We’ll be working out tomorrow and getting back on schedule, taking it one day at a time to get ready to play Georgia.”
On Georgia:
“Great team, they’re tough, and they never let down. They’re a competitive group of young women. We’re going to have to put up a fight.”
On Danielle Lawrie’s Potential National Player of the Year Award:
“I’m proud of who she is and what she’s about. If people recognize that and she gets an award like that it’s great for her and great for the program. But, I know where her eyes are set and not much energy is being focused on that award.”
On Playing in the Postseason:
“It gets tougher every year, with more parity. Had Georgia Tech not had a few key injuries, obviously, this might have been a different situation. Nevertheless we’re proud and happy to represent Washington and the Pac-10 and move on to the next round.”
Junior Pitcher Danielle Lawrie
On Gameplan for Georgia:
“I have to go throw my game. If we stay consistent with that I think we’ll be fine.”
On Her Pitching Performance Compared to Previous Outing:
“Mentally, I was in a little bit of a better place. Getting up 2-0 in the first was huge. When you score first you never want to let your opponent back in it. I think I wanted to set the tone for the team and let them know we weren’t going to game three. I’m going to keep them off the board, we’re going to score runs and we’re going to win the game.”
Georgia Tech
Head Coach Sharon Perkins
On the forecast for next year’s team:
“I think it will be great to get Kelsi [Weseman] back. She was our best hitter at the end of the season, and losing her on defense was a huge hit for us. I think we handled it well and made good adjustments but it will be nice to get her back. She should be back with no issues there and with one of our pitchers and outfielders coming back from injury we will see what happens. We had a lot of crazy things happen here at the end of the year that we are still trying to figure out so we will see how it goes.”
On team’s off-season workout schedule:
“Our strength coach has some things planned for them. Some of them will go play travel ball and some are taking summer classes so they will be around here to help out with camps and workout.”
On how Danielle Lawry compares to players they have faced this year:
“She is a great player without a doubt. Whether she is pitching or hitting. [UNC Pitcher] Danielle Spaulding is great like that too. It’s pretty rare to be able to be a stud pitcher and hitter, and the pitches she hit were pretty amazing. It’s not normal but you see it every now and then. She is a rarity.”
On next year’s schedule:
“We believe in preparing for the post-season by facing good pitching and hitting so we will be ready. We will try to play the tougher teams that have a higher RPI so that it helps us in the end.”
On whether great pitchers are what separate a good team from a College World Series Type Team:
“Every year you look at the College World Series and everyone has a stud pitcher. That’s the breaks. Usually a great pitcher will have a great hitting team. We faced the same issue against Florida two years ago. There are definitely ways to beat them though. We just didn’t seem to do it. They [Washington] hit the ball well also. I think if they weren’t a good hitting team then it would have been a tighter game and we would have had more of a chance. If you have a great pitcher it keeps you in the ball game.”
Freshman pitcher Jessica Coen
On her experience facing Washington this weekend:
“They are a great team, a great hitting team and a great ball club all around. When you face a team like that they are going to hit the ball. My defense was great this weekend helping me out, but like I said they are going to hit the ball and I wish them best of luck next weekend.”
Junior Infielder Jen Yee
On facing Danielle Lawry:
“It was just like old times sake. It’s always fun facing her because it’s such a big rivalry but I had a lot of fun.”
