Trisha Ford highlights No. 5 Texas A&M's 'level-headed' mindset

Coming off a top-25 series win over Alabama and a dominant appearance vs. Sam Houston, Trisha Ford's sixth-ranked Aggies are rolling, entering a stretch of non-conference games. The head coach joined TexAgs Live to recap A&M's recent outings and preview the week ahead.

Key notes from Trisha Ford interview

• I was really, really excited about our bats on Sunday. I thought they did a tremendous job of putting up a lot of runs. Alabama had a really strong sixth inning, and we came back and answered, which was huge. We had Monday off, and with Monday off, you're always worried with what are we going to look like when we show up on Tuesday. Usually Tuesday's practice is a little shaky because they are a little sore. I thought they did tremendous last night.
   
• I'm happy for Emily Leavitt. I let her know on Monday, she was going to get the start, so she came to the bullpen on her own just so she felt fresh and good to go. She was around the zone. She was hitting her spots. When her changeup is on, that makes her a high-level pitcher. For any of those young pitchers out there, if you can throw a changeup, you could compete at a level.
   
• I don't really care if we are up or if we are down. This is our process. Each pitch, each game and each inning. Now, in year three, you're really starting to see that come together. They have heard it, for some of them, they are on year three. That's what a championship team looks like is when you don't get too high and too low. You know that you are in every pitch and really trying to stay as level-headed as you can. 
   
• You weed those kids that don't fit you very well, so they become yours. I would say Koko Wooley is mine. Emiley Kennedy is mine. I think they become yours pretty quickly if we are a good fit. You either love me, or you hate me. Nothing really in between. I think they start to understand what this looks like and when you talk to the team, they are like, "We don't freak out. We know we have a chance."
   
• Kennedy was just gritty. That kid was banged up pretty significantly, and we didn't know if she was going to be able to throw this weekend. She took it upon herself to drive down and see a doctor in person. She came back and rehabbed for 48 hours. It’s just a tremendous job on her part. She continues to put herself out here to help the team win even when she's not 100 percent.
   
• Kennedy threw five fantastic innings against Alabama, which is a very good team. They have been to the Women’s College World Series three out of the last four years. Obviously wasn't 100 percent, but knew she wanted to be out there for her team to compete. She helped us get a win this weekend. My hats off to her. We are going to try to hold off with her. If we have to use her tonight, we will, but we are going to try to hold off until Friday. 
   
• Mya Perez is somebody that you don't see very often in today's college athletics. The freshmen come in, and they expect to play. If they don't play, and they are highly talented, they leave. I get it. We also go after players like that. It's a two-way street.
   
• With Perez, I think home has a lot to do with it. You recruit the home. I'm sure they had a lot of input on, "You go back. You made a promise to coach Ford and to that coaching staff, and you didn't perform last year, so let's give it a whirl." She was committed to us at Arizona State, as well, so we had known her for some time. For me, it's just that moment of, “This is what it looks like.” You can always refer back to Perez throughout the recruiting process. You have tough conversations with freshmen after the year. She stayed in the system year two and just tore it up.
   
• Kennedy Powell has been on fire. I bet teams hate her right now. She's bunting. She's hitting away. She almost hit a ball out this weekend. She has done a great job for us. The one thing she and Jeff Harger have talked about as of late was not so much mechanical, but can you clean up your strike zone? Can you make sure the ball is coming to this part of the plate? It was really just cleaning up that decision-making piece, and that's why I feel like she's been excellent the last two weeks.
   
• There's no rest with the SEC schedule. That's why you see these kids get banged up a little bit and that emotional toll that can come at you from a physical standpoint. I am really happy that we have a staff. We have depth. I think this is what will set you up.