May 16, 2014
Kansas vs. Nebraska Post Game Quotes
Kansas Head Coach, Megan Smith
Opening statement...
"We were really excited to be here and face Nebraska again. It was good to get a rematch with a team we had a very close game with earlier in the season. I felt we came out really strong, were on fire offensively, were locked in and focused, and I felt Kelsey (Kessler) threw a phenomenal game."
On if Kelsey Kessler is ready to pitch tomorrow...
"I think Kelsey is always good to go. I think she is always ready and wants the ball. She has had a phenomenal season and a great outing today. She will be ready if her name is on the lineup."
On Kessler's pitching performance today...
"She was phenomenal today. She showed a lot of grit, which is good to see from your pitcher. She gave up some base runners that she was not happy about. She clawed out of it and showed a lot of fight. It was a great outing for her."
On possibly playing Missouri in the first matchup between the two schools since Missouri joined the SEC...
"The media has talked about it a ton. We are just happy to play whoever is in the opposite dugout. It doesn't matter to us. We were excited to get another crack at Nebraska and whoever comes out of Bradley/Missouri, we will be excited to play them. We are going to be locked in and ready to play either team."
Kansas senior Taylor Hatfield
On the at bat before her home run in the first inning...
"I felt like everyone came out on fire. The single before me was huge. We had already scored, so I came up looking to get another run in. The hit before me gave me more confidence during my at bat."
Kansas sophomore Kelsey Kessler
On pitching out of tough jams...
"I let a lot of runners on that I probably shouldn't have. The defense was solid behind me. When runners are on, it makes me focus more on getting the out."
On the possibility of playing Missouri...
"We're just excited to get the win we just got. We are excited to play whoever comes out of the next game, whether it's Missouri or Bradley."
Nebraska Head Coach, Rhonda Revelle
Opening statement...
"First of all, I want to congratulate Kansas. They got a critical hit at a critical time in the first inning. I thought we had a lot of chances coming back with a lot of ball game left; we just weren't able to do that. It's the season of timely hitting. We had good pitching from Tatum (Edwards), and they had good pitching from Kessler. We played good defense, they played good defense. It really came down to timely hitting and they had one more timely hit than we did."
On missed opportunities throughout the game...
"I was not pleased with the swings we got. I feel like we were in a good battle with Kessler, but most of those battles she won. That was the key to the game."
On the morale of her team after falling behind 3-0 in the first inning...
"I took the trip to the mound in the first inning to tell them we were going to have to score to win anyways. We fell behind and we had to put it past us. I told my team we were going to have to battle from then on out. I thought we would get some base runners on, I also thought we would get a clutch hit down the stretch."
On Kansas improving from the last matchup in March...
"I thought they were good in March. I thought when we played them in March, it was a pretty competitive battle. Kessler and Edwards battled back and forth. Minus the first inning, this was a grind-it-out pitchers duel."
Nebraska senior Tatum Edwards
On the home run she gave up in the first inning...
"Taylor (Hatfield) got good barrel on a good ball. That's all you can really do. She got a clutch hit with two outs."
On her success after the first inning...
"I was really just trying to move the ball around, place the ball on the corners. I was trying to get them with some off speed as well."
Nebraska sophomore Kiki Stokes
On what made Kansas pitcher Kelsey Kessler so tough...
"I honestly think it was her changeup. Our offense had to sit and wait and wait. Our offense didn't execute and she got ahead on a lot of hitters."
On her team having their backs against the wall to advance to the Super Regional...
"I think it's going to take a total team effort to fight back. We are just going to take it game by game."