Texas A&M softball has begun its 2024 campaign a perfect 9-0 after winning all five games of the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego. On Wednesday's edition of TexAgs Radio, Aggie head coach Trisha Ford joined the show to discuss last weekend and this weekend's schedule.
Key notes from Trisha Ford interview
- This weekend in San Diego, there were some close ones and some ones we ran away with. It was a good test.
- These next two weeks we have 15 games in a week and a half. This season is a continual push of what Aggie softball is going to be and how we are going to play. It doesn’t matter who’s on the other side. We’re enjoying it, but there’s a greater mission ahead.
- I think our offense has impressed me the most. We have leveled up our lineup from top to bottom. Different parts of the lineup have helped us, so if one area is struggling, there are three or four hitters that are helping.
- This past weekend was a good test. San Diego State was one win away from going to the World Series last year. That team is very good, and everyone they have played, they’ve been in the game.
- LMU, their pitcher has been in every game they’ve played, they beat Oregon, and when she’s on the mound she can compete with anybody.
- This past weekend we didn't have any let-up. Our ability to beat teams back-to-back days is really good.
- Some things go our way and some do not, but it's about how you are going to persevere. We had some calls that didn't go our way. There was no replay. We weren't on TV. There were all these things, but I think it's good for us to get back to the basics of how to win a ball game.
- Allie Enright has worked her tail off. Last year, she came in and learned a new system and then took off this year. She is super strong. If you're strong you can miss-hit a ball off the wall, so she has taken that to heart and worked hard. I think she should have gotten SEC Co-Player of the Week the first week too. I'm a little biased, and I’m gonna fight for her.
- I think Allie is hitting the ball so well because she is in a better posture. She’s understanding her swing and what pitches to attack and has a better head space in the box.
- Emiley Kennedy is competitive and is somebody who gets excited to be competing. She wants to have the ball every single game. Our defense enjoys playing behind her, and she’s fun to watch.
- Trinity Cannon has been a staple of this Aggie offense before we got here last year. She started the year hot last year and cooled down. We addressed it and talked about things she got away from at the end of the year. She’s been focusing on just hitting. She’ll be in the DP role and will play some first base.
- The youth bring some energy and push the seniors saying, “Listen, I’m on your heels. I'm ready to go.” Then the seniors, they’ve been there and can help out. We have a really good balance if you look from top to bottom.
- Julia Cottrill is special. She almost has too good of hand-eye coordination with the bat on the ball, even when she shouldn’t. She needs to shrink the zone in the batter's box. She gets anxious because she wants to help her team.
- The game against Oregon on Sunday, coach Jeff Harger told Cottrill, “I want your last at-bat to change the game,” and she went out and did that. She took a daddy-hack that first pitch. They went back with the same pitch and with Cottrill, you can’t do that. You have to go to a different zone, but they went back and she made them pay.
- Our infield has had more assists than last year. Our ability to have four shortstops in the infield and to play catch has been one of the most comfortable feelings I’ve ever had as a coach.
- We play SE Louisiana this weekend, and we have alumni weekend. Jennifer McFalls is the head coach at Kansas so she'll be doing the first pitch on Saturday, and she’s an Aggie. I haven't told her that. I usually wait because some people don't like the attention. We have North Dakota State twice, St. Thomas and UTSA.
- The 12th Man our opening weekend was rocking. I love Davis Diamond, I love the 12th Man. Let’s get them back out there again. There’s gonna be good weather.
- Jim Schlossnagle is awesome. We have a really good relationship. I’m happy for them. We had a tour together in the fall, and he was talking about how he was excited for his group.
- I tried to catch last night’s baseball game, but I just watched it in my office last night. Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, I can get out and go watch them. Schlossnagle is a wonderful human and I'm really happy that he's leading our baseball program.
- We don't talk a lot about goals. We have standards and how we want to play. We are not a program that says, “Going into this weekend, we have to go 4-4.”
- We don't pay attention to what’s on the other side. It's about us and being able to execute our game plan. I think our chances are good when we do that. We have been dealing with adversity and when things don't go our way, can we rebound and bounce back from that?
