Freshman catcher Haley Outon and pitcher Diedre Outon are not the first pair of siblings to play the same sport UH, but the twins do boast two drastically different playing styles. The Daily Cougar caught up with the twins to see how their first season is coming along.
Q: How did the two of you start playing softball?
Haley: We played tee ball when we were young because basketball, dance and all those other sports didn’t work out.
Q: Is softball a family tradition?
Diedre: It doesn’t really run in the family. We actually don’t know how we got here.
Q: How have you adjusted to moving from a small town like Pflugerville to a big city like Houston?
Diedre: We haven’t really been around the area so I guess we haven’t really adjusted yet. Since it’s our first year we didn’t really know where to go, I still only know three streets around here. During the summer and next fall we’ll be able to explore more.
Haley: We don’t really get the chance to go explore Houston so it’s kind of a small city to us.
Q: Diedre, you’re a pitcher and an outfielder; which do you prefer and why?
Diedre: I like pitching better because you can control the situation and if you do badly it’s on you, and if you do well it feels great.
Q: Diedre, as a pitcher you have two experienced senior pitchers in Donna Bourgeois and Amanda Crabtree. What have you been able to learn from them?
Diedre: Their mental game, which is something I don’t have yet. I learn from them, see what they do out there, and how much work it takes to get to where they are at now. I hope to get to where they are at in a few years or maybe sooner.
Q: Haley, as a freshman you’ve caught three no-hitters this season, what does that feel like and what kind of relationship do you have with the pitchers?
Haley: I have a pretty good relationship with all of them. It helps because we all trust each other with the job that we have to do for each other. It’s great to be such a help to pitchers that are so dominant.
Q: What’s the advantage of getting to know a pitcher’s tendencies, strengths and weaknesses?
Haley: It’s easier to keep up with them, and if I see them go out of their composure I can get them back in by calling a timeout and talking to them through it by giving them reassurance.
Q: After high school was there any chance of you two going to different colleges?
Diedre: We didn’t have to go to the same college but it just sort of worked out that way. But we are glad we’re at the same school together.
Haley: The three schools we went down to wanted both of us, so it worked out. Plus it would have been weird going to different places, because we’ve never been away from each other.
