Speaker 1 00:00:12 Hello, welcome to the Roundhouse Podcast with Paul Sutro of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. We're here to talk softball with Wichita State Center fielder Lauren Lucas and Keer Laney Brown before this weekend series against USF Shockers. Play Omaha at five tonight. Tuesday as we are recording Tuesday morning. The shockers are 26 and seven, two and one in the American Athletic Conference. USF enters the week 22 and 15 three and oh in the American. And this weekend should say a lot about the the conference race. Lauren is a junior. She's from Little Elm, Texas. She's hitting 3 58, 13 doubles, two home runs. Laney is a red shirt, sophomore from Choctaw, Oklahoma. She is hitting two 70 with six doubles and five home runs. All right, let's start with last weekend, big series at ucf shockers Lose the opener on Friday. Uh, it's a big rivalry. Take us through the mood after the game is, you know, at dinner, at the hotel. How do you kind of regroup and put that past you and get ready for the final two games of the series?
Speaker 2 00:01:17 I think it was pretty, everyone was pretty upset. Like we, uh, like not sad, but we just all knew that, um, we didn't necessarily make the adjustments that we wanted to right away. And so I think we were anxious and anticipating the next day and we were ready to get after it. And you know, coach B kind of got into us on Saturday and was like, if you think you're not gonna win this game, then you're not gonna win it. And um, one of the most important things she said to me that really registered was, um, you know, we were playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. And so, um, I think on Saturday we kind of came out, um, playing a little bit more to win as opposed to scared to lose
Speaker 1 00:01:56 Laney. What was your view? What happened to get shockers back on track for Saturday and Sunday?
Speaker 3 00:02:00 I think we knew we could beat them and we just, I think we were just in our heads too much. But I mean, just like last year they came in beat us once. I mean, we beat them once and then they came in and beat us twice and we just did the same thing to them at their own home field.
Speaker 1 00:02:15 So Lauren, that was interesting. You used the phrase playing not to not to lose instead of playing to win. You hear that a lot. Do you have a sense during the game or immediately after the game? Yeah, that was kind of our mood. How does that, how, how do you kind of understand and deal with that and then work past it?
Speaker 2 00:02:36 Those are actually Coach B's words that I just plagiarized. But, um, she, that was something that she had told us after the game and was like the whole time you guys were playing scared and timid and you know, nobody was just out there, you know, taking their hacks or, you know, making the big things happen. And um, um, for her to say that to us and for it to register with us, with us and, um, us be able to, to be able to come out the next day, you know, stronger, looking like a whole new team. I mean, we put up six runs as opposed to one the day before and then 10 runs the day after that. It was just, um, huge for us to really respond to the way that she said that to us. Cuz I think we all kind of felt that we were playing scared and we were playing like, just tight. Everybody w there was no loose, there was no comfortable. Um, and after she kind of kind of got into us about it, we, I think we did a good job of coming out and making some adjustments.
Speaker 1 00:03:26 So Laney, this is a real experience team and it's a team that I would characterize as usually being pretty loose, pretty confident. How often does, uh, Christie have to have a, a chat with the team? Like, like she had Friday
Speaker 3 00:03:38 A lot <laugh>, a lot just because sometimes we, we come out low with our energy and she just needs to remind us like, we gotta, we gotta get up. Like our energy has to be high. And I mean, like on Friday our energy was low and then Saturday and Sunday was it a huge difference between our energy. But yeah, she does have to use her minus a couple. <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:04:01 You'd be surprised as as much playing experience as this whole team has. Just like a lot of our starters are returners and you'd think that, you know, we'd kind of be able to give ourselves that kind of kick, but, um, she, she does it better than anybody else does. Yeah. So sometimes she, it just has to be her.
Speaker 1 00:04:17 That's an important part of the job. Describe the rivalry with UCF Boy. There have been some great games between these two teams over the last four or five years, always at the top of the conference, uh, always in NCAA regional play. Why, why is there such a good, uh, a good, good chemistry, a good mix between the two teams and we get these, these good games?
Speaker 2 00:04:37 I think there's just a huge amount of, um, reciprocated respect. Like we both have a lot of respect for each other's programs and we both know that it's always gonna be an absolute dog fight when we step on the field. And so that kind of knowledge just intensifies the series because everybody knows that it's gonna be a good game and it's gonna be, you know, down to the last day just like it has been the last two years.
Speaker 1 00:05:02 Laney, thoughts on UCF rivalry? What stands out to you about those games?
Speaker 3 00:05:06 I just think we're both really good teams and we're usually always one and two in the conference and we just wanna come out and beat each other. So,
Speaker 1 00:05:14 And Lauren, is it similar with usf, which would I think be the third team kind of always has been at the top or in recent years has been a, a really good American athletic conference team?
Speaker 2 00:05:24 Um, I'd say it can be at times, like, um, my freshman year, you know, they were actually number two and we were number one, and so that year it was maybe a little bit more intense for us. And you know, last year they took two from us and so that was, um, that kind of intensified that series a little bit. And so I think this year we're really looking forward to, um, hopefully coming out and sweeping 'em, um, if not sweeping 'em, taking two from them. And, but I don't think it has the same level of rivalry and I, I can't speak to why that is. I don't, it, it's just some feeling when we play UCF that it just means just to smidge more like we just wanna beat them a little bit more than we wanna beat us. F
Speaker 1 00:06:01 So in 2021, uh, I know the shocker said that, uh, it was a big moment early in the season, they beat Iowa State, uh, in a tournament. Iowa State was ranked at the time and that was kind of a, a little bit of a light bulb moment that showed people on that team, boy, you know, we can really do some good things. Uh, has there been a similar game this spring that's really hammered home, this team is is is on the right track? Laney, any game like that stand out to you?
Speaker 3 00:06:24 I would say Arkansas. When we played Arkansas, I thought we really, our pitching our defense and our offense were really what was awesome. Like we played to our potential and we run rule them
Speaker 1 00:06:38 A run rule victory a couple weeks ago. Lauren, how about you? Is there a game so far this season that stands out in that way?
Speaker 2 00:06:43 It's hard to not agree with the Arkansas win because that was just, um, kind of a turning point for us. Like the week before we had lost to Missouri State and that was kind of something that we were all really frustrated about and so frustra us to be able to come out and put it to a team who was in the top 10 at the time. I think that was a huge turning point for us. And it was like, we can do this. We can be that elite level team if all three cylinders are firing at once.
Speaker 1 00:07:07 So the shockers are in the national rankings, they've kind of been in and out for a big chunk of this season 22 to 25 area. Do you get more attention, do you get more texts from friends or family, more dms from people when the shockers are are in the rankings? Does that make a, do you notice that difference on a daily basis?
Speaker 3 00:07:25 I don't think so. I think everybody knows we're good and we know we're good and I think we belong in the top 25 and I think everybody else knows that too.
Speaker 2 00:07:33 I would definitely say my freshman year, like I would get texts and like, oh, congrats. That's so cool. And like as it's as Wichita State has become more of a household name over the last two, three, however many years, um, people expect it. People aren't surprised. People aren't, you know, not that they're not excited because the fans are excited, we think it's cool, whatever, but um, I definitely think it's more expected and it's like, ah, there's Wichita State as they should be.
Speaker 1 00:07:57 So you have a big game. Let's say Lauren went two for three against Arkansas, Laney went two for four, Homer against ku. Uh, who's the per first person you might text or call to kind of celebrate, relive that, that big moment? Laney, who's first on your, on your list after something like that? My dad. Your dad? Yeah. What do you, what's the conversation? He
Speaker 3 00:08:16 Just, he thinks I'm awesome and
Speaker 1 00:08:18 <laugh> dad are supposed to. That's good. That's
Speaker 3 00:08:21 Good. And he always congratulates me. He always hypes me up. He's my hype man. So.
Speaker 1 00:08:25 Okay. Lauren, how about you?
Speaker 2 00:08:27 Um, definitely my mom, but at the risk of, um, being cheesy, my boyfriend, he plays baseball so like he really gets it. And so I'm always first to like text him like, Hey, that was kind of a big deal. Did you see it? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So it's just really exciting to get that support from not only family and friends, but from other people in the community.
Speaker 1 00:08:45 Sure. Makes sense. Makes sense. Who's the team, uh, the person on this team that maybe we don't hear a lot about but really helps things run smoothly kind of behind the scenes? They're uh, they're positive, they're enthusiastic. Who, who's that kind of person on this team? Maddie Espinoza. Maddie Espinoza. Yeah. Yeah, I've heard a lot about her. Yes.
Speaker 2 00:09:02 Yeah, she's a big team gal, but I think somebody that kind of flies under the radar right now to me is, um, Laney, but also Sammy, like, I think between the two of them, like you don't necessarily always hear their name, you're not necessarily always talking about them, but like their contributions on the field and in the dugout like are huge. It's a huge, Laney is a huge energy person, um, and her work behind the plate is, should never go without notice. And um, Sammy does a very good job at second base and I think it's really important to acknowledge how good she is defensively and how important that is to our success.
Speaker 1 00:09:37 So Madison Espinoza, if you followed cha or softball at all, you would recognize her cowboy hat? Yeah, very, very enthusiastic. Uh, now Sammy Hood is a freshman, so that's interesting from the standpoint, apparently she's kind of come right in and and taken on those kind of characteristics. Tell me a little bit more about that. Why has she been able to to play that role even early in her career?
Speaker 2 00:09:57 I think, um, she, coming outta high school especially, she was just like a more well-known name, especially with breaking the, um, home run record in dfw, which we knew about because our, uh, volunteer at the time was the previous record holder holder. So I think that it was just knowledge that she was gonna come in and be able to swing it. And, um, to me I was surprised that she was so good at defense. Like I didn't know that about her. I just expected her to come in and absolutely rake and for her to come in and look, you know, like we talk about a lot like Kaylee Hecker and just that very smooth, very calm, cool and collected, like just gets it done Second baseman. Um, it's really impressive because not only that, but she also is always hitting the ball hard. She's always, her numbers may not speak to as well as she's, as well as we feel like she's swinging it because she really does hit a lot of hard outs.
Speaker 1 00:10:49 So Lauren, you played in 13 games, 2021 as a freshman. Uh, a lot of upperclassmen ahead of you came back as a sophomore, he hit 33 87, uh, all region, all conference honors. Take us back to that time. How did you prepare for a, a bigger role in 2022?
Speaker 2 00:11:05 Um, I think I knew that there was a spot open and I knew that, um, I was capable of filling it. And so I think that all of the hard work that I had done in 2021, like it wasn't like I just showed up fall of 2022 and was like, okay, let's get to work. Like I kind of put my head down in 2021 and, you know, did what I could from the side and knew that there was gonna be a role that I could fill the, the next year. And, um, I think that I attribute that to a lot of hard work and a lot of conversations with coach e about, you know, you're capable, your swing looks good, stuff like that. It's really important to be reminded that like now is not your time, but that doesn't mean that your time isn't coming.
Speaker 1 00:11:46 Why were you receptive to that? Or what did Elizabeth Conmen say that made you receptive to that? Because there are a lot of people who would say, I, you know, I don't, I don't like sitting, I don't see a place for myself here. I'm down. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna work. Why, why did that work for you do you think?
Speaker 2 00:12:02 Um, I think it had a lot to do with our success in 2021. It was easier to put my head down and work knowing that, um, in 2022 we could be just as good and um, and I could be a part of it and I could be a contributing factor because, you know, in 2021 I may not have contributed to a ton of our success, but what I did do is I pushed the people in front of me, you know, the girls that were already playing in the outfield, um, me looking good in practice, made them wanna, you know, work a little bit harder. And so really embracing that role, um, and knowing that that wouldn't have to necessarily be my role the next year made it easy to want to go to work because not only was I, you know, behind the scenes making, um, making some of our other starters better. Like I knew the next year it would pay off and it would help make our team better because I'd be able to be on the lineup.
Speaker 1 00:12:49 The 2021 team, of course, uh, won the American Athletic Conference title, went down to the Norman Regional beat Texas a and m twice, and, uh, and played Oklahoma in a, in a couple games that I think people really watched and, and really remember.
Speaker 4 00:13:14 Hi, this is Rick Yuma, president of Wichita State University. Check out the latest episode of the Forward Together podcast. Each episode I sit down with different guests from Chacar Nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita State University. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 00:13:43 So Laney, let's talk about the last 19 games. You've bumped your average up to two 70 from 180 2. Take us through that that time and and how did you improve?
Speaker 3 00:13:53 Well, a lot of us were struggling towards like the bottom of the lineup, fighting for a spot and coachee took seven of us during practice and like really worked with us. Changed like some of our stances, like gave me a leg kick to generate more power into my swing. And I think really just buying in and doing what coachee is telling us to do really helped me. Like, um, sorry, <laugh>. Uh, so she gave me a leg kick and I don't know, just buying in, doing what she's telling me to do, I just really helped me just, and knowing I can, giving confidence to myself, telling myself that I can do it, I think really helped me cuz I think my confidence was kind of lacking and, but,
Speaker 1 00:14:38 And we've got a pretty strong track record now going over many, many seasons of this coaching staff really being able to get people to hit softballs really hard. Yeah, and really far, far and all that. Take us inside that a little bit. Wh how do they, they do that? What techniques are they using? I guess I always say this starts with the talent of the people they recruit and then the coaches kind of optimize that. Lauren, what's your view on their coaching techniques? How do they, you know, how do they get kids to hit so many softballs?
Speaker 2 00:15:04 I've always said that I think, um, those coaching staff does a really great job of, you know, taking the talent that they've recruited and turning it into double like they doubled down on their investment. And I think I'm a really good example of that because I came in and was just not gonna be a starter. Like, and they turned me into, you know, a hitter that is capable of way more than I ever thought I was gonna be capable of when I got here. And so I think that there's a lot of stories like that if you dig a little deeper where they take somebody who, you know, could maybe be like a career two 90 hitter and turn 'em into a a three 20 hitter with more home runs than they kind of thought possible. And I think a lot of that, yes, they're, um, their tactics with hitting are like their philosophies are, um, you know, unique and um, we really spring for the long ball and hitting the ball hard all the time. But, um, they do a really good job of making sure that you feel at home and you feel comfortable. And I think a lot of players would say that their mental health contributes a lot to how they play. So like if you're happy you're gonna play well. And so our coaches are always contributing to making sure that we're happy, we're comfortable and um, I think that helps a lot of people to be a lot more successful than they thought they could be coming into college.
Speaker 1 00:16:19 So Laney, beyond the leg kick, how else have they helped you become a a better hitter?
Speaker 3 00:16:23 Well we, coachee really helps us prep for whatever pitcher we're gonna face. Like we set machines to like whether the pitcher is gonna throw more outside or inside, how fast they're throwing, drop ball, rise ball change up. She really helps us get ready for that pitcher and then we're ready to dominate that pitcher.
Speaker 1 00:16:42 So speaking of Coach e I'm waiting patient leave for another impressions of Coach e Video <laugh> by Sydnee McKinney, but my patience is about to run out. Is there another one coming soon? Can you, can you two help get that, get that done?
Speaker 2 00:16:55 That's definitely something we can suggest. We also talked about doing the coach B impressions video and I think that would be just as funny if not funnier.
Speaker 1 00:17:02 That would be a good, that would be a good follow up. Let's get that done before the season, uh, before the season runs out. So Laney, the pitching has been really, really good this season, I think in the minds of many, it may have been a big question mark entering the season. Yes. You're relying on a transfer, a freshman and a sophomore pitching most of the innings. Uh, take us through the staff. Why have they been able to perform so well this season?
Speaker 3 00:17:24 I just think from last year, like our pitching really struggled and I think this year, like especially our coaches and our uh, pitchers really bought in knowing that we need to do better than we did last year to be more successful than we were last year. Our bullpens are way better, I feel like really buying in and uh, hitting our spots, uh, spinning, getting more movement and yeah, trying to dominate the hitters that we're facing.
Speaker 1 00:17:53 So I'll give you some numbers on the pitching staff. They have a 2.41 e r a overall. Alex Aguiar has a 1.96 e r a, she's six and two Lauren Howell transfer from Arkansas is 12 and two a 2.11 e r a and Allison Cooper who is the sophomore 2.97 e r a eight and three. So they have really done a nice job as part of that is they have some pretty good defensive players behind them. So Lauren take us out to center field, maybe you're playing in a little shallow and the hitter smokes the ball, it's headed dropping toward the wall, you're kind of in full speed chase mode. How are you judging? I've got the wall, I've gotta track the ball, I gotta get my glove. How do you deal with all that to, to produce a, a positive outcome? And a positive outcome may be an out or it may be just your, you didn't slam into the wall too fast,
Speaker 2 00:18:42 <laugh>, um, a lot of that during the game is kind of an out-of-body experience. Your body just does what it's taught to do because we go through so many defensive reps and Coach B is very meticulous with the outfield. And so, um, I think a lot of us, well for me personally, it's very much like, uh, muscle memory. Like my body's just doing what it's been trained to do and I never really have to think too hard about it, which is really good because if I had to think it wouldn't, I wouldn't be near as good as I sometimes am <laugh>. So I think that, um, it comes down to the defensive reps that we are able to get. Um, and the way that Coach B kind of, you know, really takes it into account, the details. Um, without field
Speaker 1 00:19:21 Work, have you always played centerfield?
Speaker 2 00:19:23 Um, I actually pitched most of my life <laugh>, so, um, but when I wasn't pitching I would always play somewhere in the outfield and it wasn't until I was probably 17 or 18 that I kind of solidified in centerfield, um, through travel ball. But um, you know, last year I moved, I played left center and right for probably about all equal time. And um, so this year it's been fun to kind of stick to one spot and not really have to worry about any side walls, just the wall behind me.
Speaker 1 00:19:47 So we hear a lot about, I guess catchers like that position, they're kind of in charge, shortstops, like that position they're kind of in charge is same in, is it the same in center field? Do you like being out there and, and kind of covering a lot of ground and, and being in the kind of that marquee spot?
Speaker 2 00:20:04 Um, there's no doubt that um, Addie can definitely cover more ground than me. She's a lot quicker than I am. I think I just have a little bit more outfield experience on her cuz she played infield her whole life. And so I think, um, that helps for me to be able to like know that the ball off the bat is something I can get to. And so then I'm able to call off like my other fellow outfielders or even infielders sometimes. And, um, I think that takes a lot of the pressure off of other outfielders from thinking, can I get to this? Do I have to get to this? If I'm able to call it early, I think it's easier, um, because I know what I can get to because of all of the reps that I've had in the outfield over the years. So I think that, um, it's not just something for me that I enjoy, I think it's helpful or I hope it's helpful to others. Um, I do do get caught sometimes being an accidental ball hog because I'll, I'll call a ball way too early and the wind will take it like into the other person's position, but they, they let me have it and I always catch it and turn around and say, I'm sorry, I know I'm in your territory, but I thought I could get to it. So I called it and everyone's always like, you're good. I don't care if you call it, you catch it. So,
Speaker 1 00:21:05 And the coaches would prefer that you call it early as opposed to too late. Would that be correct to say?
Speaker 2 00:21:11 Yes? Um, I think that avoids a lot of collisions and you know, I've been in one too many collisions in the outfield, so I think that's kind of why I, um, am sure to call the ball early.
Speaker 1 00:21:20 Yes, we don't, don't want collisions in the outfield. <laugh> being a college athlete, there's lots of travel, uh, you got bus rides, you got plane trips. Give us a few of your favorite travel tips. Uh, do you have books that you rely on? Snacks, neck, pillow. How do you survive all these long, long road trips? Laney. How, what's your, what's your travel aid?
Speaker 3 00:21:41 Um, I watch a lot of TikTok, <laugh>, uh, TikTok really what makes me giggle. So, uh, that, and sometimes I watch a lot of shows. I don't know, just being around my teammates, talking to them giggling, you know, making jokes. Uh, yeah.
Speaker 1 00:21:56 Lauren, how about you?
Speaker 2 00:21:58 I feel like a good chunk of this team reads Colleen Hoover books specifically. Like at least half of us, we are paying for that lady's house. Like we buy her books religiously. We are, um, Colleen Hoover stands. We read a lot of her books and that keeps us busy on the road or in the airplane. And um, you know, we do a lot of trading and so we have a lot, we shouldn't really make a book club because everybody reads the books.
Speaker 3 00:22:23 I am not a part of that group. <laugh>, you couldn't catch me Dead with a book. <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:22:28 <laugh>. Tell us more about this, this author.
Speaker 2 00:22:30 Um, it's just really cheesy, like, like feminine stuff. <laugh>. We, I don't know why we like to read it, but Romance. Yeah, romance. Not like, it has nothing to do with anything important, but we're all really interested. So yeah.
Speaker 1 00:22:44 Okay. I knew there were a lot of pets on Yeah, pets. There are a lot of pets on this team. Do you, do either of you have pets?
Speaker 3 00:22:49 Yeah, I have a, uh, she's a golden doodle mix with a great PIs. Her name's Lucy. She's a, she's so cute.
Speaker 2 00:22:58 <laugh>. I wanna call her like the team dog cuz everybody loves Lucy.
Speaker 3 00:23:00 Yeah, she always has a little smile on her face. She does smile every time. Any of the teammates better. She's so nice. <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:23:06 Okay. Excellent. All right. The shockers, they play Omaha at five on Tuesday at Wilkin Stadium. Then there's a weekend series with South Florida back at Wilkin Stadium coming up. And then on April 4th, number two, Oklahoma State visits Wilkin Stadium. Thanks for listening.
Speaker 5 00:23:34 Thank you for listening to the Roundhouse podcast. Courtesy of Wichita State University's strategic communications, we encourage you to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can find more roundhouse
[email protected].
Speaker 6 00:23:49 It's over. It's over. Ladies and gentlemen. Say it slowly and savor it. Wichita State is going to the final four for the first time in 48 years
Speaker 7 00:24:03 Year. And unbelievable. What a scene folks. The shocker fans are just going crazy in the stands.
Speaker 6 00:24:09 Just maybe the greatest win in the history of Wichita State Basketball.
