Postgame Quotes
Chattanooga 3, Samford 2 (8 inn.); Chattanooga 7, Samford 4
Birmingham, Ala.
Bulldog Field
Head Coach Frank Reed
On why the team started slow against Samford:
"I do not think they have a pitcher that throws it over 56-57 mph. We have really had a tough time in adjusting to that. We had a tough time at Belmont and the same thing here today. Today, we were getting some bats on the ball and hit them in some good places, but could not get the ball to fall. Samford made some good defensive plays. It just seemed like we could not get the right bounce. We had runners in scoring position multiple times with two outs."
"It was a great win for us to come back and win that first game. I do not think that anybody thought that we would come back and win at that point with the way the game was playing out. Sara Poteat did a great job in coming in for [Brittany] Eason and got the inning going. We made some key substitutions with Della Harrison and Jenni Martin, who each had key hits to get us back in the game. Of course, I can't say enough about Kandice [Irwin] in what she has been able to do for us over the past couple of weeks and even the entire season. She got another win and did a nice job and has embraced that role of coming in during the late innings."
On Brooke Loudermilk getting the strikeout record:
"It is remarkable for Brooke to get that record today and she still has a ways to go and the best has yet to come. I can't imagine that anyone is going to come behind her and make the impact that she has made on the program."
On the pinch hitters coming through in the clutch:
"I have as much confidence in Jenni and Della, who is really starting to come on. I am really proud of her for having some key hits in big games. Jenni in my opinion may be one of the best off the bench, cold hitters. I think that she is better in that role than as a dp [designated player]. She got a clutch hit in the opposite direction to the four hole there to tie the ball game up. Della, I have been feeling every week that she is ready to break out. She has not hit her first home run yet, but week in and week out at practice, she has been killing the ball. She still manages to get those base hits and I know that her time is coming. It takes that kind of effort off the bench to get this team to where they can be."
Senior Pitcher Brooke Loudermilk
On first knowing about breaking the strikeout record:
"To be honest, I had no idea. I did not know that I broke the record until I came outside to get some snacks from my mom between games and she was congratulating me. I am like I don't know what you are talking about and then she told me. I looked at the stats before the season started and tried to not make it a point to get certain numbers. I wanted to try to keep runners off base and do my job. I had no idea. It really would not have mattered either way."
On what the record means:
"It definitely means something. It is probably something that I did not think I would achieve after missing half the year last season. It is pretty exciting because I know that the pitchers that are up there were really good for this program. I am honored to be recognized with those girls too."
Junior Third Baseman Tiffany Baker
On the pressure knowing you could tie the record:
"I have not really felt any pressure, really, from anybody. I have not been really thinking about it that much or talking about it with anyone. It was nice to get it over with."
On what the record means:
"To me it just means that I did something that proves myself at the collegiate level and at some point someone may end up breaking it down the line."
On the homerun at bat:
"All game I did not get many pitches really. I got hit by two pitches in the first game. I was seeing the ball well and I saw that the pitcher was throwing to me [in the eighth]. I waited for a pitch in the zone and I fouled two off and brought the count up to 3-2 and was looking for the change up. I knew that it would be outside, so I just kind of went with it."
"I kind of scooted up on the plate to take away the inside looking for the middle-out pitch to drive over the centerfield fence. I was not looking to hit on over. I was looking to get on base and get my team in the position that they needed to be in with me drawing a walk or getting a base hit."
On Samford pitching around you:
"I did not get any pitches today. I would say that they were pitching around me more than most. I was getting balls in the dirt and I got hit four times today. I think that might be a record as well getting hit four times in a doubleheader."
