Courtney Deifel, players press conference: Arkansas 10, South Florida 2 (NCAA Fayetteville Regional)

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]Yeah, I just uh am really proud proud of the collective effort from this group this weekend. Uh they took care of business. Uh they were firing in all cylinders. Uh we had some tough competition and they made a statement and and really dominated the weekend. Um just proud of the boys, proud of the competitiveness. Uh we had a tough field. Uh South Florida is tough. They're really gritty team. Um and I'm just really proud of our team.

[00:00:26]On to the next >> question for the student athletes.

[00:00:29]Ethan, go ahead.

[00:00:30]>> Yeah, Kennedy, of course, you had the big home run that that kind of broke things open. Just can you walk me through that at bat, maybe what you were sitting on and and how did it feel, you know, to get that home run in front of this crowd?

[00:00:39]>> Well, it actually felt good to finally get something on the ground and well, not even on the ground, but out and that I that I could Yeah. that I wasn't out.

[00:00:47]Um, but it felt really good. I mean, just throughout the whole I feel like you have maybe the loudest one hit weekend in a long time. You just had so many that hit right at people.

[00:01:04]you know, how do you what's your mentality when you know that you're making good contact even if it's resulting in an out?

[00:01:10]>> Uh, I have to keep that.

[00:01:29]Sailor, of course, your first inning, you know, you got in a lot of three ball counts and you got out of it and then did that inning maybe set up the rest of your your appearance?

[00:01:37]>> Yeah, I think if I can get through the first inning, then I can get through any other inning and just knowing that I was able to come back from those three ball counts like just really gave me the confidence to just go out the rest of the game and just continue to fight.

[00:01:52]>> Was there anything you could take maybe from yesterday um being able to to come back out today?

[00:01:57]>> Yeah, I think yesterday feel the best, but I also did well. So, I think that also gave me confidence knowing that I felt better today and just really just pounding the strike zone and going for every pitch.

[00:02:10]>> Kennedy, on the double play that uh you guys turned in the second inning, what was your perspective of that and how big did you feel like that was to the offensive rally that you were able to put together in the bottom of the init?

[00:02:36]Kenny, I think after your home run, you and Reagan maybe had a conversation at the plate or shared a laugh. Can you share with us maybe what you guys discuss >> that it finally fell? Um that was that was pretty much it that you know one one finally fell because I think that was kind of the not heated question but but kind of in a sense uh throughout the weekend that you know I had had a couple I don't even know how many actually it was, but uh I think you could probably tell, especially after after the home run on my next bat, I kind of turned my heads up like, well, what the heck? Um, but like I said, I know that it's all part of the game. So, >> your coach mentioned making a statement this weekend, three run victories. Was there any motivation to kind of finish off that statement today, like, you know, leave no doubt and and kind of keep the momentum that you had built through the first two days?

[00:03:21]>> Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Just exactly what you said, uh, leave no doubt and uh, I mean, just honestly taking it you know, not getting too ahead of ourselves and being being complete completely present in the moment.

[00:03:32]>> Kennedy, uh, the offense, I think five of the first seven runs came on two outs. Was there a different mentality with two outs? Why you guys are able to extend innings and ultimately, you know, down one zero, all of a sudden it's 4-1 and scoring with two outs?

[00:03:43]>> Yeah. I mean, honestly, like as long as we have an out, we can do anything. As long as we have a strike is what Gastel always says. We can do anything. So, I think that, you know, yes, it it seems like it might change something, but ultimately for us as hitters, it doesn't change anything because we still have a single strike and that's all that matters.

[00:03:58]>> Sailor, kind of your first time pitching in this postseason atmosphere here at Bogle Park. What was it like this weekend?

[00:04:03]>> It's just super incredible. I mean, you dream of playing in an environment like this and just like look around and see how many people like care about Arkansas and the chemistry and the team connection and culture that we built.

[00:04:19]It's just super awesome to see.

[00:04:22]>> Um this question for either of the players, third straight game that coaches come out and said you guys had collective effort and you can see that when you watch the game. What's been the key for you guys dialed in for both sides of the ball?

[00:04:33]>> Yeah. Um I think just throughout the season a lot we were tested in a lot of different ways. Um and just really sticking true to ourselves and we know that our pitching staff has it. We know that our offense has it. So, uh, for it to finally, you know, fire on all cylinders. Not that it hasn't throughout the season, but just like you said, three run victories is is a big deal, especially in regionals. So, I it felt really good.

[00:04:54]>> I think as a freshman, you have to come in and be fearless. I mean, I haven't been in this position before, and you just have to wake up one day and say, "Heck yeah, I'm gonna go for it." And just throw the ball as hard as I can and spin it as hard as I can. And just also trust the girls that have done this before me. I know we've had multiple girls go to the World Series for different teams and they just they know how to get it done and it's awesome learning from them and following them in their footsteps.

[00:05:19]>> And my next question is a little bit more for Kennedy. The USF coach talked about how special you guys lineup is and the depth. Just what do you think makes his lineup so special? You guys just consistently get people on and then make the big play.

[00:05:29]>> Yeah, like you said, I think it's the depth and also just a pass the bat mentality. Um that is something that I think is really big. And going back to one of the previous questions about, you know, as long as we have strike. That's that's what we really pride ourselves on. Um and so there's there's not a question in anybody in the lineup and that anybody can do anything whether it's breaking dos and hitting home run like honestly it could happen and I I don't have a don't have a doubt. So uh that's the biggest thing is just I mean we we know that we all have everything that we need.

[00:05:58]>> Kennedy the team looked really loose in all three of the games and in all of them you're up by three or more runs by the end of the second inning. How much do you think those quick starts help just maybe take I don't know if pressure is the right word off but just just play loose throughout the rest of the >> Yeah, I mean I think I think it does help tremendously. Um also just for our pitchers and our pitching staff being able to to hold the other teams to you know minimal runs helps also. Um but yeah, just I think us playing loosely is I don't I don't think there's like a right or wrong way how to play loose or like a definition of how to play loose.

[00:06:29]Um, but I think it's just the love of the game and just having fun and knowing that ultimately it is still a game and and coming back to that kind of helps.

[00:06:40]>> Do we have anything on Zoom for the student athletes?

[00:06:47]>> All right, thank you ladies.

[00:06:48]>> Thank you.

[00:06:59]Okay, questions for coach Dul. Uh, Matt, do you want to start?

[00:07:03]>> Sure. Hey, coach. Uh, seemed like Italy Reho was a real difference maker defensively today. And then, uh, you know, she had the two I thought she had two big plays in the second. She turned the double or started the double play and she had that RBI double. I just wonder what you thought her impact was in that inning in particular.

[00:07:18]>> Well, her impact was huge. Um, that top of the second was huge for us because they got the bases loaded with no outs and when you can play back so confidently knowing a ground ball, you're gonna you're going to create two outs and you just get it in the hands of our middles. Our middles are so rock solid. Um and we you know we got the ball that exactly what we wanted and and they turned it just like they have been all year. Um but Tal has been that's what she's done for us all year. Um she's made really big plays. She's so steady, but she makes those flashy plays look routine. Like we don't take them for granted, but you like don't realize how much ground she's covering and and the reads she's getting. She is just so good out there and today was no different.

[00:08:05]>> They scored a run on that double play, but it really felt like momentum shifted right there and then obviously you guys were able to take advantage of at the bottom. I mean, how did it feel from the dugout?

[00:08:12]>> Yeah, absolutely. I think we know that uh we're going to score um and so when you can minimize the damage and just say, "Hey, we run. We know we're going to get that back. If we can get two outs, that's going to be huge to to get the momentum back. Um, and then it worked out really well.

[00:08:26]>> I know you're never going to play perfect, but I mean, could it have gone much better for you than than three run rule victories in a regional?

[00:08:32]>> I don't think so. I don't think so.

[00:08:34]We'll take it.

[00:08:36]>> Coach, I was going to say, um, I know you guys are used to playing on backtoback days, but what was the challenge of facing South Florida, you know, again in this region today? How do you feel exe?

[00:08:45]>> Well, I thought we executed really well.

[00:08:47]Uh they're a really tough like hard-nosed gritty team. Um and so and you could see that it jumps out at video off of video at you and um so we knew that they were going to be really fiery yesterday and then you saw it play out.

[00:09:00]We just hoped that they'd play a long time and maybe be a little bit more tired today, but they're not. I mean, they they just play hard. Um they too have just a lot of um just like competitive energy, chemistry, and so they're really fun to watch. they play the game the right way. Um, and so for us it was just executing and focusing on our side. And we felt like if you know we could get some runs the way that we pitch and defend, we were going to be really tough to beat.

[00:09:27]>> Yeah. Coach, the second inning, all the runs came on two outs. You know, I think five of six runs today on two outs. Just what does it say about the lineup that they're willing to battle and fight even if there's one strike left about how deep this team is?

[00:09:39]>> Yeah, they just have so much confidence.

[00:09:41]Um, and they don't flinch. uh they don't flinch over the circumstance and I don't honestly think it's even in their mind to think like oh there's two outs or like that it's a different situation but that two out rally was so big and it started with Katie Katie had a heck of an at bat and um she she drilled the change up to to right center and then Talgo's first pitch and then Wiki you want to get in there you want to hit and she just was so disciplined um and took her walk which she did a tremendous job of all weekend and then finally gets Oh god. I mean, I I'm with you, Ethan. I think she had the loudest one hit uh weekend that I've seen in a really long time, and she she just took it like a champ. She just kept taking her hacks.

[00:10:22]And so, it was really great to see her come through in that moment. But that was I mean, that was the swing. I think that the momentum of just giving up one in that situation and then capitalizing in the bottom and the response, every time they scored, we responded with four runs. That's pretty good response. We should just do that every time. Yeah.

[00:10:44]But then he went on to just talk about your whole line.

[00:10:48]What makes this line so good?

[00:10:51]>> They uh they all have a lot of different tools. Um they all have a really good sense of who they are and they all have a ton of confidence and trust in in the rest of the lineup. And so when you when you have all those things, you get to just play with a lot of freedom. Um and it doesn't fall on one person. You know, we've had uh lineups in the past where it's like, dang, if you don't get it done here, it's like we gota wait. No, like we can generate runs, we can generate rallies at any point. We can hit the ball out at any point. I don't know about Johnson.

[00:11:24]Um like what Ken said, but um we just have a really potent lineup and it's a combination of all those things.

[00:11:31]>> Um Sailor OB first inning got a you know a lot of three ball counts and something changed from your calling pitches standpoint. got sharper.

[00:11:41]>> Um, excuse me. Wow. Um, I think she just really focused in on spinning it through the zone. Um, I think that's where we've seen her maturity and her development through the course of this year is earlier that that inning could kind of go off the rails and that's not who she that's not who she is anymore. She's she's ready for the moment. Um, she could work through that process and kind of see where she was missing and adjusted. So each time it got a little little better and and then she she just really um started drilling the zone and trusting her spin. Um she has elite spin and so one of the big things is just getting her to really trust it over the plate. Um the zones are tighter in college than what she's used to. Um but her break is so elite. It's just getting her to trust it and and with the defense behind her, why not? I mean, I don't remember a regional that y'all gotten out of where, you know, your ace through four innings through a regional. Just what what do you think about the way that this pitching staff was able to navigate through three days?

[00:12:42]>> Well, it's really deep and it's deep beyond those three. Um, but we have a lot of trust. You know, I was asked in the in the myame interview just about Peyton and that change. It's like Peyton didn't really feel like herself today of just like her usual command that she has. So why make her labor when we have two exceptional fresh arms that are ready to go and and just to have that option and know like we get to pass the ball to say and she's going to be ready to go and we still have Rob. You never know. I mean I have a lot of confidence in us holding leads but you know postseason's crazy and so just knowing that we had those three ready. We have confidence in those three and beyond. Um it was a really good feeling going into today. Then just last question is Sailor that that Texas series it just felt like such a big game for her, a big moment.

[00:13:29]How much do you think that seeing her perform in that situation made it to where you know backtoback days regional?

[00:13:34]You put her out there as a freshman to finish things off. Yeah, she wants the moment and she's comfortable in the moment. And we saw that in um our crazy Saturday game in in Alabama and and we saw her elevate and just like her mentality like she's she's here for it.

[00:13:51]Like she wants it and um you can see in those big moments that she elevates and she has this um competitive like spark to her of of just loving the competition and and loving being out there. And so and we're continuing to see her get more and more comfortable in that and it's been really fun to watch that progression.

[00:14:13]>> What do you think you guys can particularly take away from the tournament where you still run ruled them but you had to respond and you guys kind of always had a response for their runs as well?

[00:14:23]>> Yeah, I think it's it's easy to look from the outside in and look like, oh, it was three run wins. It was easy where they, you know, tested because yeah, we were we um, you know, we got punched first today and sometimes when you're you have something on the line, sometimes that can make you tighter. It didn't. And they just responded. It was just like, okay, well, that's fine.

[00:14:45]We're going to score. Um, and just this what I keep saying about this team doesn't flinch. It doesn't it doesn't matter. They're ready. They're going to respond. If it goes as expected, great.

[00:14:54]If not, we're gonna we're gonna face that. And and move through it together.

[00:14:59]And um and that's what we saw through the weekend.

[00:15:02]>> Kind of piggybacking off that, Sailor mentioned she has to be fearless as a freshman, but it seems like that mentality is throughout the entire roster. Is that something you noticed preseason it developed as the year went along to just have that fearless, confident mentality to respond to things?

[00:15:15]>> Yeah, they just have a really good sense of who they are. And I think that's, you know, a lot of when I say they just they're so businesslike. They they know who they are. They show up and they just take care of And that's their standard of play. That's their standard of their approach. That's and and meeting that every day. And that is going for it. It is going for it and trusting who you are. Knowing who you are and then trusting that in the moment and knowing that you've put the prep in um for you to just excel in that moment and let yourself, you know, compete. And so, yeah, I do think it hasn't been a straight line for this group. Um, but they've continued to grind and they're finding their best version. Now, >> as a as a coach, do you get the sense of relief when Kennedy hits that home run and you know, you can see that the relief from her of it not getting out for once in the weekend?

[00:16:05]>> Um, well, I just love when anybody hits a home run because on our side um because they they work their tails off for it and uh for her to have such a level mentality with not getting the breaks of swinging it this weekend. It just it just shows so much composure. Um and she just stayed the course and continued to take just really good hacks of balls. And so it was really good for that to happen in that moment and and just with that, you know, the shift of them going up and then us scoring one and then she gets up with three like two runners on and three run. It was just it was it was really it was just really fun to see there.

[00:16:45]>> Yeah. Coach, next up super regionals.

[00:16:47]What do you want to see from the team over the next couple of days, you know, preparationwise so that you guys are are playing loose kind of like you did this week, next week, you know, to try to get to OKC?

[00:16:55]>> I want them to enjoy this today and see who we play. Um, I want them to rest because uh they've earned that and and we'll start working on on whoever we line up with. Um, and that's they're so intentional about their work. So, I I want to see and I expect to see what we've seen from them all year is just really diving into the prep. Um, being really mindful about their bodies and and making those great choices and and just being really intentional about every rep you take.

[00:17:24]>> The question coming into the year from a lot of people was how would you make up for the power production of Brie and Courtney Day? Um today's Kennedy's home run put you all past last year's total.

[00:17:32]Just what has it taken um to get that power this year?

[00:17:37]>> Uh just exerting their will, you know, like knowing what they're hunting and going for it. Um, in so many ways it feels like our offense have been so much more productive, not necessarily with the long ball. It's but it's there obviously and it's more than last year.

[00:17:52]And I think that when you have um it's scattered throughout and everybody kind of picked up a little bit of what we lost with those two. Um, it just more so feels like it's just so strong throughout and the ability to put the ball out in any part part of the order is is just really tough to pitch to.

[00:18:11]Speaking on that, just as somebody who who faces a lot of offenses, the pitch caller, just what does that do whenever you have a lineup that the home runs really can come in a lot of different a lot of different spots?

[00:18:22]>> Well, what do you mean? as far as like whenever there's there's not just two in the lineup stack that that have the power.

[00:18:28]>> When you're pitching, when I'm calling, >> when you're calling pitches, when you have a lineup that you're facing that has power, when you're facing a lineup like that, you can't make mistakes and and you know that like you got to be pretty dialed on your spin and your location because one swing can change the game. And um it can change your mentality on the other side of just feeling like you have to be perfect or feeling like you have to place it just so. And um You know, I maybe that's what the other teams are thinking when they're facing our team. You know, when I have to call pitches against us in practice, it's not fun. I'll tell you that. Um, but it is it's like u it's tough. You you feel like you have to like thread a needle um because there's just so much damage that could be done one through nine, one through 10.

[00:19:14]>> What does it mean to get a super regional here again?

[00:19:17]>> It's awesome. It's awesome. I'm really proud of our team for playing themselves into this position, the schedule we put together, the the you know how they battled through that schedule all year and then just to take take uh care of business this weekend and they moved through the weekend like that's the expectation and that's when you look and they're like, "Yeah, they're elite with what they do is they showed up and that was the expectation with everything that they did." And uh so it's it's awesome to get another weekend in Bogle. Our fans are incredible.

[00:19:48]um they showed up for us all three days even with the weather on Friday night and so to get another opportunity to play in front of them is is really cool.

[00:19:56]>> Well, Jerick was talking about just the growth of your program and about how he felt like the program took on a lot of your identity. I know as a coach you can get so forward focused all the time recruiting and the next game coming up.

[00:20:08]Do you ever let yourself just kind of reflect on where the program was and now you've gotten to the point where not only are you in super regionals, but I mean you're hosting them just about every year. It feels like >> uh I don't think I reflect on it very much. Um I feel like we're so beyond like we're so far from that um that it seems like another life ago of of what the the program was and and when we got here. And um it's it's interesting because I do get Um, it was 11 years ago. And so it's crazy because now what these players grew up watching and what our recruits grew up watching is this Arkansas product, you know, like they have to like they're like, "Wait, you guys weren't good?" You know, 10, 11 years ago. It's like, "No, this is an elite program." And it it's amazing to see the commitment from our student athletes um before it was this. And then for them to just want to be a part of this culture and want to be a part of this fan base and play at this stadium and and just completely go all in for this program.

[00:21:14]It's everything. It's everything. And I'm just really proud of where we are, but I'm proud of how we did it and um who we were. Like we will never sacrifice that or compromise that. And so um you know, we do it the right way.

[00:21:29]We play the game the right way. Um and I just really of everyone that we brought in to our program.

[00:21:37]Anything on Zoom for Coach D?

[00:21:42]>> All right. Thanks. Thank you.

[00:21:43]Congratulations.