University of Massachusets Athletics
2006 NCAA Softball Amherst Regional
May 19, 2006 | Softball
May 19, 2006
UMass Head Coach Elaine Sortino opening statement:
"Well I think the first game in any championship is the toughest to play and obviously today got off to a little bit of an unsettled start with the weather, we're ready to play, we're not ready to play. I thought the kids, for a young team, did a great job of handling that and we were ready to play obviously from the first inning. we settled through some difficulty on the mound and got it done and came to plate and when it counted she hung one and we took advantage of it. You're not gonna get a lot of chances so I thought it was a good job overall."
Catcher KJ Kelley on whether or not there was a sign given to her:
"Whether you know it or not you still have to react to the pitch and you never know where it's coming. So just staying in control and staying in my legs and waiting for it to come into me I was able to get it."
KJ Kelley on whether or not the runner tipped her off:
"We have signals that are set plays and then we also have where Kristy is just paying attention, eye contact. We know each other, we're both seniors, so we both know what looks good and we're comfortable with each other. So whether it's a signal or not, we're always on our toes and ready for it that runner to take a bigger leap than they want and we can get them."
KJ Kelley on whether or not she was surprised by the play:
"You gotta be ready for anything. I was a little surprised about runners taking a big lead on me anyways just because I've been back there and having been known for a good arm and not a lot of runners take big leads but I was ready for it. Anytime I get a chance to throw out a runner or get a chance to pick them off I'm ready for it. So I was very exited for that moment to come."
Pitcher Brandice Balschmiter on whether she was surprised by the play:
"Yeah, for the most part. It was a great play on their part. I think it really did help."
Brandice Balschmiter on her no-hitter:
"I actually didn't even realize it was a no hitter. I'm just glad we got the win."
Coach Sortino on UMass' start:
"Always, with these games it comes down to one pitch, one swing, one ball, one strike, you just don't know what's coming. So that's why you have to, you can't slide into it. And that's why I thought it was so key that we were ready to play defensively to get out of what we had started and offensively that we were ready for her (KJ) to hang a pitch."
Albany Great Danes
Albany Head Coach Chris Cannata opening statement:
"We didn't hit. That was pretty obvious. You can't win any ballgames if you don't get any hits. We were nervous at some points of the game and that was the turning point. In the first inning, we were a little jittery. Casey got a little jittery with the illegal pitches being called on her. They got their two runs."
Albany pitcher Casey Halloran on the illegal pitches being called on her in the first inning:
"He (the umpire) said I was sliding my foot forward. I don't know. I didn't feel like it was. But that's what happened. Because of that they came around to score and got the home run. She got to second on another illegal pitch and we called the changeup and the girl on second (Amanda Morin) knew it was coming and told the batter (KJ Kelley); the batter just waited on it and hit it. It just so happened that on ball four she (morin) got on first, and on another illegal pitch she got to second."
Halloran on if her motion contributed to the illegal pitches being called:
"It just happened that they called it on the right pitch where she got to go to first. It was a pop up and an easy out."
Coach Cannata on missed opportunities:
"We missed opportunities throughout the whole game. We didn't hit the ball. We had a couple base runners get picked off on stupid plays. You can't win if you don't hit.
Coach Cannata on Brandice Balschimter:
"Her ball moves a little bit more. She definitely is refined; she's an effective pitcher. I don't think she was that wild where we didn't know where the ball was going to be. We just didn't get a very good swing on her."