Oklahoma Softball Postgame Quotes

May 29, 2000

OKLAHOMA HEAD COACH PATTY GASSO

"We are completely overwhelmed with emotion. As a coach, this is everything that I ever could have dreamed of accomplishing with a team of great, hard-working athletes. This is a moment that we have envisioned, and sometimes all that we have been able to do is envision. I can't even begin to explain all of the emotions that run through because of all of the hard work that we have put into it. I can not say enough about my tremendous coaching staff. Without them this could not have been done. This has been an incredible ride and an incredible story. This is the perfect ending."

On defense: "In the Big 12 Tournament we just were not very good defensively. We had some breakdowns in that tournament and that cost us. We came back in regionals and played very well. This was an exceptionally well-played defensive tournament for the Sooners. Our offense maybe wasn't that explosive and we had to step up other parts of our game and this team really did that."

SOPHOMORE PITCHER JENNIFER STEWART

On winning the College World Series: "I am very excited and very emotional. It all hasn't sunk in. It has been great having the team behind me every pitch and every out. I found out that I would be pitching this morning at batting practice. I had a good game yesterday and that was my game plan today. We ended up winning and it is just a great feeling."

JUNIOR FIRST BASEMAN LISA CAREY

On her home run: "I know that it was definitely inside. I was looking for her off-speed. It was a great pitch. If I hit it, great. And if I go down swinging then I know that my team will pick me up. It was a great pitch, I saw it big and I hit it."

JUNIOR LAKISHA WASHINGTON

On staying in the game after being hit in the face by a pitch: "They were telling me that I was all right so I figured that I was all right. I'm feeling better and my head has stopped hurting."

UCLA HEAD COACH SUE ENQUIST

"I just have to congratulate Coach Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma club and their coaching staff. They had a tremendous year and came into this tournament and beat some good clubs. They did a good job of attacking us early. They capitalized on the mistakes we made, we got the ball up a little bit. Oklahoma remained very composed in their game. Unfortunately, we didn't respond offensively. The first six out of seven batters had first-pitch strikes, on the final day you want to go out a little more aggressively and set the tone and we didn't do that today.

"It takes a lot to remain competitive in a ball game when you are down and I can't say enough about this club and how they fought up until the end of the ball game. Even when we didn't have momentum to hang on to, you noticed we did such a good job of staying connected on defense and making the plays we needed to make.

"Jennifer Stewart did a great job in the circle and she deserves a lot of credit. Oklahoma is going to have a great memory. It sends a message to the country that softball has arrived and this is a great moment for them. I congratulate Oklahoma. I couldn't be more proud of what this club has done this year."

On the last play of the game: "Crissy Buck's perception was she thought the pitcher was out of the circle, which would have allowed her to go to third. My perception was I wanted a clarification from the umpire. It is such a tough call. You never want to steal someone's thunder. I just had to clarify that the umpire was making a ruling on the correct situation. That way we all at UCLA can walk away and say the umpire made the right call. I was satisfied that the umpire made the right call."

SENIOR INFIELDER LYNDSEY KLEIN

On Jennifer Stewart's pitching performance: "She did a good job coming right at us. We weren't as aggressive as we would have liked to be today. She did a good job and kept the ball down and away. She threw the change-up a lot so she kept us off balance. She didn't bring the ball inside too much. She kept it to the outside."

SENIOR INFIELDER JULIE ADAMS

On the pro Oklahoma crowd: "We try to focus on what goes on inside the white lines. When it comes to this part of the season you have to have mental toughness and discipline. Our team is very good at having mental discipline and not focusing on what is outside of our dugout. The crowd did not hurt us."