Q: What do you want your lasting impact to be?
PM: "I want my lasting impact to be that I was a great teammate. I want people to be able to say they always wanted to play with me or wish they could have gotten the chance to at some point in my career. That is something I want to leave people here thinking."
Q: What has been your fondest memory in your career thus far?
PM: "When we played Alabama last year and won it on a walk-off. They held a 33-0 record on the season, so that was probably the highlight of my entire four years here – tossing them their first loss on their record."
Q: What is some advice you have given to the incoming freshman?
PM: "Be competitive and trust all the work you have put in up to this point. It's going to get you where you need to be. If you are struggling, remind yourself to work hard on the small things, either one-on-one or ask a veteran what you should do."
Q: Being a two-way player, which do you like better, hitting or pitching?
PM: "I like pitching better, but I love hitting too. It depends on the day."
Q: How do you divide your time at practice having to do both?
PM: "Coach Dill schedules our bullpen workouts before practice, that way I can get some work in defensively and hit during practice. We are also doing hitting before practice, so I space my time out between the two. The coaches work with me so I can juggle everything and that it doesn't become overwhelming and stress me out."
Q: How do you think you have changed as an athlete or person over the last four years?
PM: "As an athlete, I have changed by not allowing failure to overcome me. Before I got here, I allowed failure to take over my game. If I were to strikeout or give up a homerun, I would shut down. Now, I have the mindset of 'it happens.' I'm not perfect, nobody is. I also surrounded myself with teammates who carry that same attitude. It's easy to look at them and see they are going through the same thing and I learn from each of them on how they carry themselves. I allow the failures to happen and I come out having learned something from it. As a person, I have become a better leader over my four years here. I've always known how to lead, but I did not always know when the right time to be one was. During my freshman year I was afraid to say things, even when I knew what I was going to say was right. I've grown into my role within the program here and it has now gotten easier to show my classmates how to lead. If someone is confused or things are not being done correctly, I don't just assume any conclusions. It becomes a learning lesson along the way for everyone."
Q: Who has had the biggest impact on your career?
PM: "Coach Dill has been with me since my freshman year here. She knows how to push me to my limit. There have been times in big games where I am pitching and have been worried. I wouldn't ever let it show, but she could just tell from my body language. She's constantly been that reminder that I have this moment under control and I put in the work to be able to trust myself and my training. Even on the other side, when I am hitting, she'll come up to me and tell me motivational things that I as a hitter, I sometimes need to hear."
Q: What is something you want to build on from last season?
PM: "Trying to get a run at the World Series and allowing our team to mesh better. At this point, we are meshing well. Everyone gets along and we each have our own goal in mind for the fall and spring. Everyone being on the same page means there is no disconnect between what we all are striving for this year. It is nice to have teammates that will sit back and flow. Coach Evans is big on allowing her team to work itself out. She has no intention of being the one to oversee us and what goes on. She wants the team to run on its own and this year we have been able to do that well."
Q: What are some personal and team goals this season?
PM: "As of right now, a team goal of ours is to be the toughest team in the SEC, whether people think that or not. We are going to make sure we are not backing down from any battle. As for myself, I want to allow myself to have fun and not get caught up in the 'what if' moments. This is my senior year, so why not have that mindset. If you allow yourself to be able to have that type of mentality, it is going to make your play of the game a whole lot better."
Q: What is your favorite Aggie tradition?
PM: "Either the Aggie Ring or the Corps. Both those things symbolize what Texas A&M represents. You work hard year after year to get your own (ring) to show off to everyone. All the people it allows you to meet along the way is what makes our university stand out from the rest. We were able to eat dinner with the Corps a few weeks ago and were given the opportunity to take part in the squadron training they do before dinner. Someone would pick us and show us what their responsibility was. Some of my teammates got to hold swords and some carried the flags. I was able to call out squadron three to make sure everyone was there and in line. It was a highlight of this semester so far."
Q: Whose dog is cuter yours or Kayla Garcia's?
PM: "Mine for sure. Our dogs don't look anything alike but their personalities are very much the same. He's a golden doodle named Harper, after Bryce Harper. My dog has more golden in him than doodle. His hair isn't as curly, but Kayla's dog is fluffier with the curl in his."
PM: "I want my lasting impact to be that I was a great teammate. I want people to be able to say they always wanted to play with me or wish they could have gotten the chance to at some point in my career. That is something I want to leave people here thinking."
Q: What has been your fondest memory in your career thus far?
PM: "When we played Alabama last year and won it on a walk-off. They held a 33-0 record on the season, so that was probably the highlight of my entire four years here – tossing them their first loss on their record."
Q: What is some advice you have given to the incoming freshman?
PM: "Be competitive and trust all the work you have put in up to this point. It's going to get you where you need to be. If you are struggling, remind yourself to work hard on the small things, either one-on-one or ask a veteran what you should do."
Q: Being a two-way player, which do you like better, hitting or pitching?
PM: "I like pitching better, but I love hitting too. It depends on the day."
Q: How do you divide your time at practice having to do both?
PM: "Coach Dill schedules our bullpen workouts before practice, that way I can get some work in defensively and hit during practice. We are also doing hitting before practice, so I space my time out between the two. The coaches work with me so I can juggle everything and that it doesn't become overwhelming and stress me out."
Q: How do you think you have changed as an athlete or person over the last four years?
PM: "As an athlete, I have changed by not allowing failure to overcome me. Before I got here, I allowed failure to take over my game. If I were to strikeout or give up a homerun, I would shut down. Now, I have the mindset of 'it happens.' I'm not perfect, nobody is. I also surrounded myself with teammates who carry that same attitude. It's easy to look at them and see they are going through the same thing and I learn from each of them on how they carry themselves. I allow the failures to happen and I come out having learned something from it. As a person, I have become a better leader over my four years here. I've always known how to lead, but I did not always know when the right time to be one was. During my freshman year I was afraid to say things, even when I knew what I was going to say was right. I've grown into my role within the program here and it has now gotten easier to show my classmates how to lead. If someone is confused or things are not being done correctly, I don't just assume any conclusions. It becomes a learning lesson along the way for everyone."
Q: Who has had the biggest impact on your career?
PM: "Coach Dill has been with me since my freshman year here. She knows how to push me to my limit. There have been times in big games where I am pitching and have been worried. I wouldn't ever let it show, but she could just tell from my body language. She's constantly been that reminder that I have this moment under control and I put in the work to be able to trust myself and my training. Even on the other side, when I am hitting, she'll come up to me and tell me motivational things that I as a hitter, I sometimes need to hear."
Q: What is something you want to build on from last season?
PM: "Trying to get a run at the World Series and allowing our team to mesh better. At this point, we are meshing well. Everyone gets along and we each have our own goal in mind for the fall and spring. Everyone being on the same page means there is no disconnect between what we all are striving for this year. It is nice to have teammates that will sit back and flow. Coach Evans is big on allowing her team to work itself out. She has no intention of being the one to oversee us and what goes on. She wants the team to run on its own and this year we have been able to do that well."
Q: What are some personal and team goals this season?
PM: "As of right now, a team goal of ours is to be the toughest team in the SEC, whether people think that or not. We are going to make sure we are not backing down from any battle. As for myself, I want to allow myself to have fun and not get caught up in the 'what if' moments. This is my senior year, so why not have that mindset. If you allow yourself to be able to have that type of mentality, it is going to make your play of the game a whole lot better."
Q: What is your favorite Aggie tradition?
PM: "Either the Aggie Ring or the Corps. Both those things symbolize what Texas A&M represents. You work hard year after year to get your own (ring) to show off to everyone. All the people it allows you to meet along the way is what makes our university stand out from the rest. We were able to eat dinner with the Corps a few weeks ago and were given the opportunity to take part in the squadron training they do before dinner. Someone would pick us and show us what their responsibility was. Some of my teammates got to hold swords and some carried the flags. I was able to call out squadron three to make sure everyone was there and in line. It was a highlight of this semester so far."
Q: Whose dog is cuter yours or Kayla Garcia's?
PM: "Mine for sure. Our dogs don't look anything alike but their personalities are very much the same. He's a golden doodle named Harper, after Bryce Harper. My dog has more golden in him than doodle. His hair isn't as curly, but Kayla's dog is fluffier with the curl in his."