May 18, 2012

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Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson

(Opening statement):  First I want to thank Louisville for hosting this event. I normally don’t like to thank Louisville for anything but they are doing such a good job, which is pretty cool.  Today was a good game. I think we gave ESPN the game they were looking for and what they wanted. Obviously we ended up on the losing end of things that wasn’t ideal. But it was a good game and Michigan was a good team and you have to give them their props. Their freshman pitcher did a great job and their other freshman pitcher who also is their hitter got their game winning hit so you really have to give them credit for coming up big in a tough situation.

(About preparing for next game) That game is who we are so I am not really worried about that. I think the cool thing about this team is we are very analytical about why and how things happen and we will go back and process what happened at this game and make some adjustments and hopefully come back better tomorrow. This team has a lot of character, they know how to bounce back. So this kind of tournament with four teams is doable although you have four great teams so you don’t know what will happen. From a physical standpoint it is doable and we have enough pitching to get it done. I feel good about that.

(Who will pitch tomorrow)  I will scout this next game and what will happen will when we know who loses, then it will depend on their swings. Our pitchers are all very different. Chanda throws a lot of up pitches whereas (Rachel) Riley throws a lot of down pitches and (Lauren) Cumbess gives you a good mix.  Depends on what is going on and then there is Weaver, who is a lefty and the only lefty we have going. We have a lot of pitching and we had a lot of good pitching down through the stretch in the SEC.  I am not sure yet.

Chanda Bell

(About last pitch): It was an inside pitch and she was getting all inside pitches in that at bat. I think she backed off the plate a little bit expecting it and I knew she was swinging and I was just trying to get the ball to do what I wanted it to do.  I was trying to get it inside on her.  I knew she was going to be swinging. She hacked at a couple ones before. I thought we had her though. I thought I could get her.

Ginny Carroll

(Thoughts on the game) It was fun, the outcome was not fun but in this part of the season, every out could determine whether you win or lose and every win or loss could be life or death. I just wanted to do good for the team  so we can keep on going because we have such a great group of girls.