VESELY OPENING STATEMENT: VESELY: Happy to be here. It was a long day for us. I thought we handled the weather delay pretty well. We played a close game with LSU, and we want to be standing next year on Sunday.
DEFENSIVELY, Y’ALL WEREN’T ABLE TO STOP THEM LIKE YOU WERE LAST NIGHT. WHAT CHANGED? DID YOU SEE ANYTHING DIFFERENT THIS TIME? VESELY: You know, they did a good job of making adjustments offensively, and I think that defensively, we did the best we could. Before, we made some big plays to eliminate some extra runs but today we just didn’t have it in the circle that second game.
THE CAJUNS DEFENSE WAS REALLY THE DIFFERENCE IN THE GAME. VESELY: Absolutely.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT? VESELY: They made some huge, tremendous, big plays. Their outfield, even the first game we played them, was the difference-maker in that game and they prevented additional runs in the first game we played them. They stepped up and made big-time plays.
Final thoughts on the season: I thought we got the most out of this team this year. If we could have won the LSU game, I thought we might have a chance to advance, but when we lost, I knew it would be hard because we don’t have much pitching depth beyond Heebner right now.
Offensively, I think we’re in good shape as we had a lot of production from freshmen this year and it will only get better with the signees coming in. We also looked much better defensively, although that could use some tightening up.
Main thing is to develop a pitcher behind Heebner next year. Melancon looked very good as a freshman, but regressed this past year; need her to get back to where she had been. I think we also have a pretty good pitcher coming in next year, but I’ll have to go back and see if that was for this coming year or the following.
All in all, this program is in great shape and should return to the NCAAs next year with Heebner coming back as a senior. Good things on the horizon and nothing but positive feelings for the coaches and players.
As far as the real good pitcher coming in, I was right; Coogs signed Rachel Hertenberger our of Alvin. She’s been All-State 3 straight years and should be again this year. At one point this season, she was leading the nation in Ks and has twice set the Alvin school record for strikeouts in a season.