bleedCrimson.net Weekly Coach Rodolph Interview

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph talks about this past weekend's series against Fresno State, what her team can take into the next meeting with the Bulldogs and playing under pressure.

bleedCrimson.net: Talk about this past weekend's series against Fresno State.
Kathy Rodolph: All in all they were pretty good games. I was disappointed, I felt like Friday night we played well enough to win when we lost 3-2 in nine innings. Fresno is #9 in the nation and a 40 game winner and they're absolutely swinging like 40 game winners. We definitely had our hands full and for our young kids it was the first time for them to play in that atmosphere where there were over 1,000 fans. It was a good crowd and good atmosphere and so I think all in all it was a good experience for us, I was just disappointed that we came up on the losing end in all three games.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph talks about this past weekend's series win over Cal State-Bakersfield and talks about her seniors as this weekend is their final home games of their careers.

bleedCrimson.net: Talk a little bit about this past weekend's games against Cal State-Bakersfield.
Kathy Rodolph: I felt like we started kind of getting our feet back under us against Bakersfield. They're a quality, solid ballclub. I felt like we did the little things to help us come out on top of Bakersfield. I was very pleased with last weekend.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph talks about this past weekend's sweep against Utah State, Ashley Maroda's Hitter of the Week honor and looks ahead to this weekend's series against CS-Bakersfield.

bleedCrimson.net: Can you talk about Ashey Maroda getting WAC Hitter of the Week?
Kathy Rodolph: I was very excited for Ashley because Ashley is doing a terrific job and just continues to get stronger and stronger. She really stepped up and helped in the middle of the lineup against UNM and the Utah State series. I definitely think it's the first of more to come.

bc.net: Ashley is the team's second WAC Hitter of the Week and both have been freshman (Hoku Nohara for the week of Feb. 18th - 24th). Can you talk about your freshmen and the contribution that they're making this season?
KR: I think our freshman group is by far the most talented group that we've brought in since I've been at NMSU. I'm very pleased with how all of them have continued to grow throughout the season and step up in pressure situations and really have come through in the clutch many times this season. I think they're definitely something to look forward to over the next four years.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph talks about this past weekend's series against Louisiana Tech, the exhibition game against the U.S. National Team and talks about the upcoming series against Utah State in Logan, UT.

bleedCrimson.net: Talk a little bit about the Louisiana Tech series this past weekend.
Kathy Rodolph: Louisiana Tech came in here and played real well and we struggled all weekend long in the circle and then we struggled offensively to get those clutch hits. What comes first is was it the struggling in the circle that created that or a combination of both? We honestly didn't play very well.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph this past weekend's series against Nevada, talks about the upcoming series against Louisiana Tech and talks about the opportunity to play against the world's best softball team on Sunday afternoon.

bleedCrimson.net: Can you talk about the Nevada series?
Kathy Rodolph: Nevada is an outstanding ballclub and I feel like with Kim Watson out hurt this past weekend we struggled a little bit but Sammie [Dillard] and Vanessa [Fitzgerald] stepped up and did a great job for us.

bc.net: Talk about the first day's doubleheader, you picked up a 3-0 win in the first game and then lost a 3-2 10 inning game in the second game.
KR: Sammie did a terrific job shutting out Reno, they're 20th in the nation for hitting. I felt like she did an outstanding job of keeping them at bay. I feel like then when we got into the second game, Vanessa did a good job and I will take responsibility for that loss. I brought in our freshman Kristen Maris, who throws really hard, in the seventh after we had worked real hard to get a one run lead, thinking that maybe they hadn't seen her and that would kind of throw them off. Instead I think she came in a little nervous and kind kind of tubed it over the middle and so they were able to tie it up right away and it took a ton out of us to lose in 10 innings.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph the team's first ever victory over a Top 25 team, talks about this weekend's series against Nevada and talks about the opportunity to play on television.

bleedCrimson.net: Can you talk a little bit about series this week against Hawai'i and last week's games against Loyola Marymount?
Kathy Rodolph: The tough schedule we played in the preseason is starting to pay off because our errors are cut way down and our poise under pressure late in games sure has gotten a lot better both against Loyola Marymount and against Hawai'i on the road. I was real proud of both series.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph recaps last week's games against UTEP, the San Diego State tournament and gives analysis on her team's play through the end of the non-conference tournament play.

bleedCrimson.net: Can you talk a little bit about the doubleheader down in El Paso last Wednesday? You fell 3-0 in the first game and 6-5 in nine innings in the second game.
Kathy Rodolph: Honestly, I feel like we were a little bit shaky. UTEP played well, they just absolutely outplayed us. We were a little rocky and had opportunities but we just could not get our feet underneath us to come through.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph recaps last week's victories over Georgetown and their play in the UNLV Invitational and looks ahead at the doubleheader against UTEP on Wendesday and the San Diego State tournament.

bleedCrimson.net: Last week you bounced back nicely from the U of A tournament putting together three consecutive run-rule wins, Georgetown 8-0 and 9-1 and then Southern Utah 9-0. Can you talk about the two games against Georgetown?
Kathy Rodolph: We were excited to be back home because it's tough to be on the road as much as we've set our schedule but I think we're learning to adjust to that. I feel like when we got an opportunity for the doubleheader with Georgetown the kids came out determined they were going to start out real aggressive and try to rebound from all the errors the weekend before. That was really our emphasis in those two games and I feel like we were able to accomplish that.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph recaps last week's Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, talks about the doubleheader against Georgetown and looks ahead at the UNLV Tournament.

bleedCrimson.net: Can you talk about the Hillenbrand overall and then about each of the games individually?
Kathy Rodolph: I thought that it was kind of a tough weekend for us. We had way too many errors and definitely did not play up to our ability. Part of that I attribute to Steph Herrera, key senior, leader, having a severe ankle sprain in the second game and going out. That kinda created some uncertainty in our infield but way too many errors playing against quality teams.

bleedCrimson.net will be conducting weekly interviews with Aggie women's softball head coach Kathy Rodolph throughout the 2008 season as the Aggies take aim at the WAC title. In this week's interview Coach Rodolph recaps last week's 6-0 performance, talks about freshman Hoku Nohara winning the WAC Hitter of the Week and looks ahead at the University of Arizona Tournament..

bleedCrimson.net: First of all, congratulations on your outstanding week. Can you talk about being able to go from starting out the week 2-8 and finishing the week 8-8?
Kathy Rodolph: I've always believed all along that we have an outstanding ballclub. I just really felt like when we went to Palm Springs we got a little bit on our heels and might have been a little bit surprised at the caliber of competition and so all we've been doing as a staff has been to get us back to playing our game to be aggressive and attack knowing that every time you come out on the field, one of the two teams is going to attack the other. So if that's the case then I'd like that to be us.