Postgame Quotes - Texas Tech 3, UCLA 1
Texas Tech 3, UCLA 1
May 31, 2025
Devon Park (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Women’s College World Series
Kelly Inouye-Perez, The Shelly Carlin UCLA Head Softball Coach
opening statement
“Hard-fought battle, and you know, they played their game. I prepared our girls that they would do whatever it takes to be able to get a run on the board, but didn't prepare them for the opportunity to steal home. So with that, it worked. But I'm proud of my team, I'm proud of how they fought, I'm proud of how they played. We did what we do, and the quality of at-bats that we had, the ability to put balls in play. Great teams put themselves in a position, and we were one swing away from winning that ball game. Again, in the experience game, I have a freshman (Kaniya Bragg) taking a great pitcher deep, I have a sophomore getting a hit, and a freshman getting a hit. Just down the line, the experience game is awesome. But the bottom line is, we're not done yet, and we have more time to get to play more games and get really hot, so I'm excited. We can't wait to get back out there.”
on the advantage of having already faced Tennessee earlier in the season
“I think a lot. I think we had a great opportunity. There's a lot earlier in the season that, you know, knocked (us) out of (the) game, so there's experience there. And every team here, they're here to compete. So, it's balls and strikes, different speeds, different zones. At the end of the day, we're going to set a game plan and do what we do. And I have great confidence in our ability to have a plan and adjust. (We’ve) got to find a way to adapt to the games, and that's no matter who's on the mound. That's our goal, and I have strong belief.”
on Texas Tech’s steal to home plate
“Gutsy call, and it worked.”
on the veteran players on the team
“Absolutely, I think there's one thing to be a veteran and be able to have a lot of experience on the stage. That’s the part about the youth on this team is they're just excited to play. You know, there's energy in the dugout. It's just, it's the game of softball, it's a big stage, but the memories that they're going to be able to create and experience, whether you succeed or fail, that's our sport. But the opportunity that they have, and once again, we’ve been striving for this, and it's big reason why (the players) came to UCLA, is to have this opportunity on this stage. So, it's a game. We go back and we figure out what we could have done better, and also hold on to what we did. Like I said, right there at the end, we have the ability to win that ball game, and that's something that breeds great confidence in the program. But for the youth, it's fun being able to see just how simple it is. I told Kaniya (that) I think she was right there behind Megan (UCLA infielder Megan Grant) earlier this season. I came up with some big hits, and kind of hit a little bit of a slide–and we moved her down–and I stayed with her and said, you're going to come through in the biggest moment (and) it’s going to be so epic. And I don't know if I would have predicted it would have been against NiJaree (Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady). But I'm so proud of her, because she stayed committed to the process. She shows up every day, she's got a beautiful smile, she believes in herself, and she is a threat. She can take anyone deep. She's a very big power hitter, but the experience gaining to me, is gold. I can't wait for her to be able to get back out there, and she's going to have a great career. But (for) the freshmen that are playing, it's awesome. It's awesome for us, and it's a big part of our program. Freshmen come in, and they play and they get stronger and they get more experience. It's a big part of what's going to allow them to create some really great memories.”
on the evolution of props used in the UCLA dugout over the last few days
“I'll be honest with you, they do what they do. You know, I'm in the dugout, the Bruin Bubble is real, and there's tradition, there's energy, there's buy-in, and there's all those big words. Sometimes, they'll throw me into it, and I'm all in. I'll buy in. But at the end of the day, I'm not taking stuff off or doing whatever they're doing, to answer your question. But I let them be them, and I think a big part of it is the energy and the belief and the excitement. This is a fun tournament. It’s not about you have to win and you have to clutch out–yes, we know that, It's captain obvious–but your ability to have fun and enjoy this. You're celebrating playing on the biggest stage, and they've earned the right to be here. So I let them be them, that's the goal is to my team to settle in (and) play their game. And with the youth, it's important to be able to keep them loose and not get caught up in what just happened. Get to the next pitch, and when you see that, that gives me great confidence as a coach that we're going to settle in and play our game.”
on the experience from Super Regionals rolling into the world series
“Yes (it’s) a lot of experience, and I feel like whether you're ahead or behind every inning, you want to be able to do your best to be able to score runs. So, at this tournament -- losers bracket, winners bracket -- every game is a big game. Every at-bat is a big at-bat. Your ability to have short-term memory is important. Your ability to adjust, knowing the game is going to come back around, and meet reality. This is what I've taught them, is to be able to understand that the game is going to happen. But our ability to understand that you're going to get more opportunities, no matter what. If we worry about 'oh my gosh, if we lose, we're out' or 'we wouldn't know,' we don't live. And I say this very seriously, you can only live a one time zone. So past, future, I want them to be present. I want them to enjoy competing tomorrow, whoever we play. And I said that before we can–I'm gonna look at the bracket–because at the end of the day, every team is a new team coming here to (the) postseason. Somebody asked about February, that was February. We’re all different teams at this point. But to answer your question, we are playing for the opportunity that every pitch matters, and we're going to play down to our last pitch. We want to be the last team standing. We're going to play a lot more games. I think that can be a great thing for us to get hot. I have a pitching staff that can go deep, but I (also) got a lot of youth that just loves to play. They’re gaining more experience of just understanding how fun this is with a big crowd, big moments, (and) big opportunities. Once again, I want them to create more memories, and we're going to have a longer path to do that.”
UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley
on how the trust in the team will carry them for the rest of the tournament
“Yeah, I think we all definitely take pride and just have each other's back and (are) just focusing on our love for the game and love for each other. I know that this all sucks, but I'm really excited to get back out on the field with my girls. I mean, we're all super excited just to keep on playing more ball together and, yeah, just doing it for each other and doing it for the love of the game.”
on the trust of her pitching staff
“It's been a lot of fun getting to play with the staff and me, KT (Kaitlyn Terry), Fish (Addisen Fisher) and Jada (Cecil). We definitely all have each other's back no matter what, and we're super excited (to) just get back out on the floor tomorrow and just pass the ball, and we know that somebody's gonna get it done for sure. So, it's really nice to know that we have a deep staff.”
on regaining momentum after Texas Tech stole home plate
“Yeah, I feel like the big thing with this team is that we have a short-term memory. I mean, each play is kind of like in the past. This game is already as old as dirt for us, so we're just ready to get back out there.”
UCLA infielder Kaniya Bragg
on how the trust in the team will carry them for the rest of the tournament
“Yeah, I think just having each other's back on defense and offense. If somebody makes an error, we know that the next one's going to be put out about anybody on the field and on offense.”
on what she saw in her home run pitch and if it’s a confidence booster
“Yeah, I think we prepared really well. We watched a lot of film and had a really good game plan, so just being able to stick to my plan and trust the process is what I was kind of going for.”
on the emotions behind her home run ball
“It's honestly an honor to just be a part of this team and being able to play with all these amazing players, and also being able to play against them. And, just like having the confidence in myself and knowing that somebody else is going to have my back if I don't have my own gives me the confidence to be able to know that I can do it. And if I don't, somebody else will, right?
on regaining momentum after Texas Tech stole home plate
“Yeah. I mean, it was really unexpected, but we kind of just flushed it down and forgot about it. So, that way we can find a way to get the momentum back, and we know that whatever is put in front of us, we can do something to get it back.”
May 31, 2025
Devon Park (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Women’s College World Series
Kelly Inouye-Perez, The Shelly Carlin UCLA Head Softball Coach
opening statement
“Hard-fought battle, and you know, they played their game. I prepared our girls that they would do whatever it takes to be able to get a run on the board, but didn't prepare them for the opportunity to steal home. So with that, it worked. But I'm proud of my team, I'm proud of how they fought, I'm proud of how they played. We did what we do, and the quality of at-bats that we had, the ability to put balls in play. Great teams put themselves in a position, and we were one swing away from winning that ball game. Again, in the experience game, I have a freshman (Kaniya Bragg) taking a great pitcher deep, I have a sophomore getting a hit, and a freshman getting a hit. Just down the line, the experience game is awesome. But the bottom line is, we're not done yet, and we have more time to get to play more games and get really hot, so I'm excited. We can't wait to get back out there.”
on the advantage of having already faced Tennessee earlier in the season
“I think a lot. I think we had a great opportunity. There's a lot earlier in the season that, you know, knocked (us) out of (the) game, so there's experience there. And every team here, they're here to compete. So, it's balls and strikes, different speeds, different zones. At the end of the day, we're going to set a game plan and do what we do. And I have great confidence in our ability to have a plan and adjust. (We’ve) got to find a way to adapt to the games, and that's no matter who's on the mound. That's our goal, and I have strong belief.”
on Texas Tech’s steal to home plate
“Gutsy call, and it worked.”
on the veteran players on the team
“Absolutely, I think there's one thing to be a veteran and be able to have a lot of experience on the stage. That’s the part about the youth on this team is they're just excited to play. You know, there's energy in the dugout. It's just, it's the game of softball, it's a big stage, but the memories that they're going to be able to create and experience, whether you succeed or fail, that's our sport. But the opportunity that they have, and once again, we’ve been striving for this, and it's big reason why (the players) came to UCLA, is to have this opportunity on this stage. So, it's a game. We go back and we figure out what we could have done better, and also hold on to what we did. Like I said, right there at the end, we have the ability to win that ball game, and that's something that breeds great confidence in the program. But for the youth, it's fun being able to see just how simple it is. I told Kaniya (that) I think she was right there behind Megan (UCLA infielder Megan Grant) earlier this season. I came up with some big hits, and kind of hit a little bit of a slide–and we moved her down–and I stayed with her and said, you're going to come through in the biggest moment (and) it’s going to be so epic. And I don't know if I would have predicted it would have been against NiJaree (Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady). But I'm so proud of her, because she stayed committed to the process. She shows up every day, she's got a beautiful smile, she believes in herself, and she is a threat. She can take anyone deep. She's a very big power hitter, but the experience gaining to me, is gold. I can't wait for her to be able to get back out there, and she's going to have a great career. But (for) the freshmen that are playing, it's awesome. It's awesome for us, and it's a big part of our program. Freshmen come in, and they play and they get stronger and they get more experience. It's a big part of what's going to allow them to create some really great memories.”
on the evolution of props used in the UCLA dugout over the last few days
“I'll be honest with you, they do what they do. You know, I'm in the dugout, the Bruin Bubble is real, and there's tradition, there's energy, there's buy-in, and there's all those big words. Sometimes, they'll throw me into it, and I'm all in. I'll buy in. But at the end of the day, I'm not taking stuff off or doing whatever they're doing, to answer your question. But I let them be them, and I think a big part of it is the energy and the belief and the excitement. This is a fun tournament. It’s not about you have to win and you have to clutch out–yes, we know that, It's captain obvious–but your ability to have fun and enjoy this. You're celebrating playing on the biggest stage, and they've earned the right to be here. So I let them be them, that's the goal is to my team to settle in (and) play their game. And with the youth, it's important to be able to keep them loose and not get caught up in what just happened. Get to the next pitch, and when you see that, that gives me great confidence as a coach that we're going to settle in and play our game.”
on the experience from Super Regionals rolling into the world series
“Yes (it’s) a lot of experience, and I feel like whether you're ahead or behind every inning, you want to be able to do your best to be able to score runs. So, at this tournament -- losers bracket, winners bracket -- every game is a big game. Every at-bat is a big at-bat. Your ability to have short-term memory is important. Your ability to adjust, knowing the game is going to come back around, and meet reality. This is what I've taught them, is to be able to understand that the game is going to happen. But our ability to understand that you're going to get more opportunities, no matter what. If we worry about 'oh my gosh, if we lose, we're out' or 'we wouldn't know,' we don't live. And I say this very seriously, you can only live a one time zone. So past, future, I want them to be present. I want them to enjoy competing tomorrow, whoever we play. And I said that before we can–I'm gonna look at the bracket–because at the end of the day, every team is a new team coming here to (the) postseason. Somebody asked about February, that was February. We’re all different teams at this point. But to answer your question, we are playing for the opportunity that every pitch matters, and we're going to play down to our last pitch. We want to be the last team standing. We're going to play a lot more games. I think that can be a great thing for us to get hot. I have a pitching staff that can go deep, but I (also) got a lot of youth that just loves to play. They’re gaining more experience of just understanding how fun this is with a big crowd, big moments, (and) big opportunities. Once again, I want them to create more memories, and we're going to have a longer path to do that.”
UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley
on how the trust in the team will carry them for the rest of the tournament
“Yeah, I think we all definitely take pride and just have each other's back and (are) just focusing on our love for the game and love for each other. I know that this all sucks, but I'm really excited to get back out on the field with my girls. I mean, we're all super excited just to keep on playing more ball together and, yeah, just doing it for each other and doing it for the love of the game.”
on the trust of her pitching staff
“It's been a lot of fun getting to play with the staff and me, KT (Kaitlyn Terry), Fish (Addisen Fisher) and Jada (Cecil). We definitely all have each other's back no matter what, and we're super excited (to) just get back out on the floor tomorrow and just pass the ball, and we know that somebody's gonna get it done for sure. So, it's really nice to know that we have a deep staff.”
on regaining momentum after Texas Tech stole home plate
“Yeah, I feel like the big thing with this team is that we have a short-term memory. I mean, each play is kind of like in the past. This game is already as old as dirt for us, so we're just ready to get back out there.”
UCLA infielder Kaniya Bragg
on how the trust in the team will carry them for the rest of the tournament
“Yeah, I think just having each other's back on defense and offense. If somebody makes an error, we know that the next one's going to be put out about anybody on the field and on offense.”
on what she saw in her home run pitch and if it’s a confidence booster
“Yeah, I think we prepared really well. We watched a lot of film and had a really good game plan, so just being able to stick to my plan and trust the process is what I was kind of going for.”
on the emotions behind her home run ball
“It's honestly an honor to just be a part of this team and being able to play with all these amazing players, and also being able to play against them. And, just like having the confidence in myself and knowing that somebody else is going to have my back if I don't have my own gives me the confidence to be able to know that I can do it. And if I don't, somebody else will, right?
on regaining momentum after Texas Tech stole home plate
“Yeah. I mean, it was really unexpected, but we kind of just flushed it down and forgot about it. So, that way we can find a way to get the momentum back, and we know that whatever is put in front of us, we can do something to get it back.”