Louisville Postgame Quotes - NCAA Regional
June 01, 2015 | Baseball
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Louisville Head Coach Dan McDonnell
"I first want to congratulate Michigan. You guys saw them play all weekend, they had a great year, a great run through the Big Ten tournament. Very offensive. You know, fortunately, we were able to get into their bullpen and get down the line in their pitching staff. I know those guys have a lot to be proud of and Coach (Erik) Bakich got them in the right place and the future's very bright for them. Really proud of our guys. We were very consistent all weekend and never really panicked. We handled everybody's best punch time after time. Pretty consistent all weekend. A great week of practice and as they always hear me say `preparation leads to an opportunity to play great when the lights are on' - and our guys did that so I am really happy for them and really proud of them, but as they know we are not done yet.
(On Devin Hairston's performance over the regional) "Yes, he's the epitome of (the benefits of) a great week of practice, he and Coach Snider tweaked the swing a little bit, got him right and obviously he's feeling healthy again and it's just a long year for some of these young guys. You go through some ups and downs. When he puts it all together you got a chance to see it, see the offense, the defense. It is something we see every day in practice. The things he does defensively doesn't really surprise us, but I do like for the rest of the country to see it when the lights are on."
(On preparation for next week compared to last week) "Very similar. We'll wait to see if we'll be playing Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Saturday, Sunday, Monday. I don't know when they announce that. We will figure out once we know. Last week we did some scrimmage stuff where pitchers throw live to hitters who didn't get enough reps. Obviously it's good for the pitchers but it's also very good for certain hitters who need that. I'll do just like I did last week. I'll type out the schedule for the entire week and we'll meet tomorrow to go over everything and try to get organized. The thing that I said in the huddle right before we broke was that we didn't play our best baseball. For a coach, it's exciting because I think that we can get better. The guys know they can get better. After seeing what Devin Hairston did in one week from the ACC Tournament to the regionals I think that's motivation for everybody. That if I trust my coaches and listen to them... Coach Williams did a phenomenal job with Funkhouser getting him ready for this week and Coach Snider and Vrable obviously we heard from Devin... We want the players to trust us and we're going to get after it this week. It's going to be a fun week of practice. We practice fast and we try to get a lot accomplished in one week of baseball. As I've said many times, for me I love it. I love practice. You rarely lose in practice and you control everything so it's fun."
(On assessing where the team is physically) "We always do that. We'll talk to Pat Hassell, our trainer, and Zach Farrel, our strength coach, and all the coaches. We don't want to treat everybody like robots. Some guys need a little more rest than others and other guys need to be pushed a little more physically because they haven't' done enough. We made some good decisions going into the ACC Tournament and as we saw they panned out today. For Josh (Rogers) to get through the seventh, he hasn't gotten through the seventh many times this year. He looked really good. You've got to tip your hat, their first baseman had a heck of a series. Physically it looked like our pitching staff was really locked in."
(On possibly playing Fullerton again in Super Regional) "Knowing that we're playing one of those teams, I've already spoken with one of our managers and he's recording all the games. Knowing that we're done we'll really lock in on some of those teams out there. ESPN does a phenomenal job. All the games are online and archived. It's good for us, but then again, everybody knows your weaknesses too."
(On five Super Regionals in nine years) "For me it's great players. You have to have great players. Great coaches. The administration here; Tom Jurich and Dr. Ramsey. I always say if you want to be good in baseball you can be good in baseball, but you've got to want to be good first. Before I got here I was in back to back Super Regionals and lost in game three. So I'm always very appreciative... two wins away from Omaha is a good place to be. The more I'm around it the more I enjoy it, the less pressure I feel, and the more comfortable I get. Hopefully that permeates throughout the players and they are comfortable and enjoy it. This is why you play college baseball."
(On calming them down being two wins away from Omaha) "Yes. but I think it starts with our coaches and when you think of the pitching staff and the success we have had and obviously coach Williams does a great job with the pitchers and like I said the more I am around it, the more comfortable I get. We have a lot of catch phrases and sayings, `be where your feet are' and my message today in the meeting was just put your head down and stay focused. Don't look up and get caught up with all the excitement around you and you could tell from talking with the players. You know it's a player's game so if they want to dog pile and act like kids they do it, if they don't, they don't. I don't ever tell them what to do but you can see and those that have been around for a long time, it's a businesslike approach. These guys are, as we keep saying we have accomplished some things but we haven't accomplished everything and then all the players will say `yet. `It is one of our slogans, yet, we've still got stuff to do.
(On much easier it makes things by getting three great starts) "It's baseball, let's not make it more than it is. Its pitching, its number one, you have to play defense behind it and that was one of my comments to the team. We can get better, we played good defense at times, we didn't play great. To win a national championship, you've got to play great defense and so like I said I hope that is one of our chips on our shoulders going into this week where we come out with some focus to get better every day."
(On how the depth paid off this weekend) "Yeah every position player got to play which is really cool for them. As I said we started three different lineups and had three different starters from one day to the next and then pitching-wise we didn't use everybody but if you get into some long games or extra-inning games or in a Super Regional I guess you can play three games. So we feel comfortable and that's why we have been successful all year on the weekends. If we have injuries or slumps or somebody is struggling, we are able to put a really good player in there to compete. But you've got to give credit to the kids, they buy in, they are not selfish. Baseball can become a selfish game - you can live in that batter's box and you can make it about you, but there is a lot of love. These guys care about each other and pull for each other. Even the guys that are competing with each other, they really do care for each other and I think it is a big part of the reason we have had consistent success all year."
(How nice will it be to have those two leading rotations in 2016) "(laughing) I'm excited to hear Josh is coming back because Josh is draft eligible. He's got a chance to be a good draft pick this year. So we're enjoying him while we still have him. Our goal is to always get these guys ready for pro ball. Make sure that they're physically, mentally and academically on top of these guys, to make sure that they get a degree. We work very hard on recruiting and make sure these young guys are ready. Make sure that they're always able to step up. It's a revolving door in Division I baseball, especially when you're having success. It's why kids are committing to come here. But who knows, I'm sure Josh and I will talk here soon as the draft gets closer."
(On saying anything to Josh after the homerun in first inning) "No he's such a competitor. He gave up a couple runs early to Florida State. Sometimes you got to get to a pitcher, like Josh, early on as he settles in, but I've said it all year, he's an X-factor from the standpoint, I just don't know many teams that have a, we say a number three because he throws the third game in a weekend series, but those that are familiar with us could argue that we have three number ones. Just how consistent they have been all year. How well they've pitched in the ACC. I've made the statement a few times, I just don't know if we've ever lost on a Sunday in ACC play. Again, a lot of that credit goes to Josh where other teams are rotating that guy, and somebody in and out, we had a rock in that position all year. It's been fun to see him grow in his two years of his college baseball."
(On the home field advantage) "I've always said I think it's one of the great accomplishments in our program. Not that going to Omaha or the regular season or tournament championships, but in the NCAA says you deserve to host a regional. Like I've said before, 14 weeks is such a long year. Injuries, tough weather, playing on the road, you name it and our guys have shown their consistency. I've always been probably most proud of hosting a Regional or a Super Regional. It's in all sports. Look at football schedules, look at baseball schedules, basketball schedules, the home team has an advantage, you want to play at home. In the professional ranks, they're all fighting for a home field advantage that they get four out of the seven games at home or whatever series may be. It's something that I am very proud of and we get to take advantage of it. For me, I love to practice. I love the preparation side of it. We had a lot of fun this past week getting ready and trying to get the guys ready. When you don't have to travel and deal with all the logistics of going on the road, it just makes it definitely a little more convent on your guys, physically, but also mentally.
Louisville Freshman SS Devin Hairston
(On last week and the changes made) "We just really worked on lowering my hands, just letting me get into a position where I could get to the ball a little bit quicker. It took a little bit of getting used to early in the week, but I started making strides about midweek and I felt good this weekend."
(On being named MVP) "It's humbling. It's flattering. But I am just glad that I was able to help my team again. For a while there I didn't feel like I was helping my team much offensively and to contribute on both sides of the ball this weekend it made me feel good."
Louisville Sophomore LHP Josh Rogers
(On the home run and then settling in afterward) "In the bullpen, obviously, my adrenaline is pumping and I was just real excited to back out there. Missing last week was unfortunate, but I had a lot of adrenaline going and just left that pitch up right over the plate and he put a really good swing on it. But I had to settle in after that and try to have more fun out there and relax and get the ball down and get the ball into the zone."
(On calming himself) "Just try to wipe the slate clean, try to start over. It is not fun having your team down two-nothing after the fourth hitter of the game. But just try to wipe it clean and attack every hitter like it is 0-0 game and you just have to get the next out and worry about the next pitch."
(On starting in last year's regional as compared to today) "Actually, it was kind of the complete opposite, I was telling Pat Hassell, our trainer, before in the training room I was kind of shaking, I was nervous. If anybody says they're not nervous before pitching in a game like this they are lying to you. I had some nerves going but got calmed down and settled in there after that homerun and just gave my team a chance to win today."
(How big was that double play in the sixth) "It was awesome. Defensively our guys played incredible today. Logan Taylor (SO, OF), Devin Hairston (FR,SS), Brendan McKay (FR, LHP/1B), everybody was just making plays behind me and that gives you a lot of confidence as a pitcher when you have defense like that."
(On going to the third consecutive super-regional) "That's just credit to our coaching staff. Coach McDonnell just puts together a complete roster, whether it's pitching, defense, offense, guys that can run. Just credit to them. Coach Roger Williams, what Coach Eric Snider has come in and done. It's cool to see this program growing and where we're at now."
(On the origin of the "CARDS" chant back to the fans) "It kinda started last year, some of the older guys wanted to do it. Guess it's a new tradition we'll start here."
(On dogpiles) "I think our ultimate goal here is to win a national championship. Obviously, we're taking it one day at a time and one game at a time. Obviously, that's been our goal from day one. As the players have written down, we've all come together and that was our goal. Winning the regional is great, and we're proud of it, we play next weekend as well, but our ultimate goal is to win a national championship."
Louisville Sophomore OF Nick Solak
(On his home run) "Today I wasn't trying to do too much. It's kind of something the coaching staff has been on me about, and my mom too, actually. Hold the bat a little looser and not try to do too much and let the game come to me. And it worked out for me."
(On what his mother mentioned) "Before this week she told me, `hold the bat a little looser, but not too loose to where it'll go flying.' I might have been choking a little bit in the first couple games, but today I loosened up and it was good."
(On everybody in the starting lineup hit today) "Yeah it's awesome seeing everybody contribute to the win, a lot of quality bats from the guys and getting into their bullpen was huge and 1-9 everyone battled and it's good to have an offensive day."
(On the home field advantages) "I think it starts with playing in front of the home crowd. They always have our back, they're cheering for us, they get two strikes on a hitter and they're screaming, yelling and I think that's one of the biggest things; playing in front of your home fans. Another thing is being comfortable at home, with the facilities. Being able to hit and sleep in your own bed, your own apartment instead of a hotel. Being on campus and in our facilities is another advantage."
(On dogpiles) "I think last year we dog-piled after the Super Regional so this year we're not trying to get too high or too low as a team."
