Adhering to standard protocol, no one in the Auburn dugout felt the need to pester Jenee Loree about the no-hitter she had working in her first-ever collegiate start.

That included Loree, who had no idea about what exactly she accomplished until the PA announcer at last week’s FIU Tournament congratulated her over the loudspeakers.

“Nothing was going through my head,” Loree said. “I was just trying to keep doing what I was doing throughout the game and keep them from scoring.”

So far, the freshman hurler hasn’t had too much trouble doing that.

Before Tuesday night’s game at Jacksonville State, where Loree allowed two runs in a no-decision, she had tossed 22 2/3 scoreless innings on her way to a 3-0 start to her collegiate career.

And it’s not exactly beginner’s luck, coach Tina Deese said.

“She’s worked hard, physically and mentally, getting herself ready,” Deese said. “Of course, you never know what you’re going to get when you throw a freshman out there. Up to this point, she’s done really well.”

Deese said she was certainly impressed with Loree’s in-circle performance when she pitched at W.T. Dwyer High School in Jupiter, Fla., but was more enamored with her demeanor away from the field.

Not that Loree had to deal with many losses, but Deese had a tough time telling whether or not Loree’s previous effort was successful because her mood rarely fluctuated.

Basically, Loree doesn’t fret about softball-related matters unless it’s game time, Deese said.

“She can be pitching the sixth and seventh inning and you don’t know if she won the game or lost the game,” Deese said. “She just leaves the game at the field and she won’t take it with her like some folks do. Whatever is on her shoulders, she just kind of leaves it on the field. That’s life.”

That calm, steady hand might explain why Loree had no idea she was in the process of making history when she fanned eight and kept Texas A&M Corpus-Christi hitless through seven innings in the Tigers’ 2-0 victory last Wednesday.

It might also explain why, aside from an extra bit of excitement afterward, Loree treats the achievement — the 19th no-hitter in Auburn history — just like it was an everyday experience.

“The outcome was what it was,” Loree said. “At the time, I was just trying to get outs and lead my team.”

As the competition amps up, including today’s home opener against Georgia State, those outs likely won’t come as easy for Loree, but Deese said she thinks her upstart freshman ace is composed enough to handle it.

“It’s going to be interesting because of the level of expectations has grown,” Deese said. “She’s just got to continue to get better.

“She’s got a pretty good level head on her shoulders, so I don’t think she’s going to let this go to her head or anything. She could be really concerned and really worried, but I don’t think that’s Jenee’s personality, either.”

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