I've been coaching Aynsley in all sports for years and she's always been a clutch performer. She's unorthodox in her form sometimes, but she always gets the job done.

It was good to see us rise to occasion. Getting an early lead gives you a mental edge. You know one mistake is not going to beat you.

Katie and (catcher Eryn) Richardson did a great job. Katie was hitting her spots and Eryn kept them off balance with the pitch selection.

We're trying to get as much experience as possible. A lot of teams have played 15 or 16 games already. We've played four. We're still moving people around and trying to find the right mix.

This was a huge confidence-builder for our girls. Lauren was so smooth out there today, and she showed a tremendous amount of poise for a ninth-grader. There were some rough spots, but this gives us something to build on.

Situations like that are when Lauren is in her domain. She's such a competitor and she refuses to get rattled. You can't teach that kind of composure.