University of Memphis Athletics
Memphis Softball Postgame Quotes
May 10, 2007 | Softball
May 10, 2007
Recap | Box Score | Notes
Windy Thees
Memphis Head Coach
What a pitchers duel it was. It was absolutely amazing. Jenna (Kubesch) pitched great. Katie (Lee) pitched great. Both teams were really struggling trying to center a ball up. It's nine in the morning for both of us in the central time zone. In the seventh inning, we knew if we could get the leadoff on, we'd have a shot. Things just ended up working out for us.
On the team's winning streak
They don't believe they can lose. We've won eight in a row now. They're almost all 2-1 games, but at least we're on the winning side of them. They want to win so badly. They leave their hearts out and they love each other. Hopefully, we can keep it up.
On Memphis senior pitcher Jenna Kubesch
She's been maybe the best pitcher in the nation in the last three weeks. We've really jumped on her back. She's given up nothing to the other teams. She may give an inch, but she shuts them down after that. She's been phenomenal. We've really leaned on her and she has stepped up. She really wants to keep playing softball. She was asking me if I could find her another year of eligibility for her, but I don't think the NCAA will let me.
On having a tournament mentality the last few weeks
This wasn't stressful. What we've been through the last few weeks where if we would have lost one game we would be out, that was stressful. This is not stressful. This is fun. We're out here to prove that Memphis belongs. We're out here to develop a tradition at Memphis. This is only our second year so hopefully this will be a good tradition for us.
On having a break between the next game
In this kind of tournament setting, I like to refocus. I enjoy having a few hours off. We'll get to really think about our game against East Carolina. We got rained out of the third game with them, so we split it 1-1. We can think about what their pitchers did against our hitters. Maybe even have time to review some film. I'm excited we'll have a little bit of a break, and maybe, lord willing, we'll have another 2-1 win.
On East Carolina
What a great team. They are very well coached. Tracey (Kee) and Natalie (Kozlowski) do such a good job over there. They remind me a lot of our girls. They never say die; no matter if they're up or they're down. They keep coming after you. One thing that East Carolina has that we don't is that team speed. So we're going to try and hold them with that team speed and keep them off the base paths.
Jenna Kubesch
Memphis Senior Pitcher
On Tulsa taking the lead to open the game
They got ahead early. It's something they have done three times against us this year and three times against us last year. We tried not to let it get us down and came back. We haven't had to come back in a while, but 2-1 seems to be our score.
On the home run to lead off the game to Lauren Lindsay
The first one I threw was a ball and then it was, `Okay, don't get behind on the first batter.' The next pitch was definitely too fat for her. She's hit me well all season. I knew we could come back. I knew we could score two. We just had to hold them down and let them score one, and I knew we could come back.
On the game-winning suicide squeeze
It couldn't have been executed any better. Tori (Gross) had the perfect bunt right between pitcher and first base where you ask the squeeze to be. The runner got the sign, so it was executed perfectly. Errors and everything just went our way.
On the team's outlook in the tournament
It's a great mentality in the dugout. No one expects us to lose right now, and no one expects anyone to step down. Everybody is thinking that someone is going to come through and someone is going to make a play. It's just a great positive attitude in the dugout.
On her development as a pitcher the last few weeks
I feel like I've become a pitcher, not just a thrower anymore. Making 1-2 pitches, making 0-2 pitches is something I haven't done. Just making smart pitches, knowing that everybody in the conference is a good hitter, and trying to pitch a couple balls hoping they'll swing at those rather than trying to strike them out every time.
On the East Carolina game
If we can score two and they can score one, we're good with that.
