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Michael Bastian (CHN) - Head Coach
(On the game)
"I think if you care about softball, you have higher expectations, you care about China softball, you are hurting right now. I just told my girls that I want them to remember how it feels right now because it should hurt. I know the reason that you see how I feel right now, since I met this team, we've come long, long ways and got a lot better. The game we lost tonight 1-0, to Japan 1-0, to USA 2-0, all games we were right there. So I told them to be proud of how they played. I'm proud of them, and we just thought to make some small adjustments. TonightĄ¯s game was lost on one pitch. It hurts badly, because we could very well be still playing here, but we have been eliminated. But I'm proud of the girls."
(On the future)
"There are a few players came to me and asked me if I would leave. To be honest, it hurts me because they are my families. I adopt them and they adopt me. And I won't leave them. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I know I won't leave them. When you are a coach you're supposed to teach and lead and develop, I know we've come a long way. We've got a lot better. I hope the Chinese people will be proud of us, because I know I'm proud of my team."
(What improvement should be made)
"Really it came down a simple aspect that we didn't score enough runs against the pitching of the best teams. We have to make very fine adjustments and learn to become more aggressive and execute against the best pitchers and the best team in the world. Right now there are five teams that play a little bit higher level, it's been clear that China has been right around third, fourth or fifth. We got to find a way to knock that wall down, and get into the medal third place, second place and first place. I know we can do that. "
Issued by: News Service, Organizing Committee
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