NCAA Norman Regional Quotes

NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners held the first practice of the day on Thursday in preparation for this weekend's NCAA Regional at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Following a 90-minute workout, the Sooners met with members of the media from all four markets to discuss the weekend's action. View transcripts below:

Oklahoma Head Coach Sunny Golloway
Opening Statement:
"We are excited to be the host of an NCAA Regional and we have got a great field here. A field that we are familiar with and have played all three teams this year, already. That doesn't happen very often in a NCAA tournament and I think it's really going to help our guys, as I reflect on the fact that we have traveled to Pullman, Wash., and we have played that Washington State Cougars and we know how talented they are. They have got a couple of freshmen in the lineup that can really hit the baseball and some really good starting pitching.

"We have played Wichita State, of course, we haven't seen their weekend guys but we know that they are extremely talented and we know their lineup. Then we had to face Arkansas over in Fayetteville and lost a heart breaker, but we know how good that lineup is. I think that the teams are going to be very familiar to each other and I think that it is a very talented field. We are very excited to host and get started."

2009 NCAA Baseball Norman Regional Central | L. Dale Mitchell Park

On starting Andrew Doyle on Friday:
"In the sixteen regional's there are probably seven that are going to throw their number two because of the one-four match-up. I've been in a lot of these and in eighteen years and in fourteen or fifteen regionals, I think I have seen it once (a team not throw its No. 1 pitcher in opening game).

"We choose to go at it and treat every game as the same and understand that momentum is going to be a big key in a very balanced regional. You need to win game one before you win game two and that will be our attitude."

On having home crowd support for postseason:
"I think that our Sooner faithful have been terrific in postseason showing up and supporting student athletes and our program. I expect them to be here this weekend and I know that they are going to turn out and enjoy watching a great regional match-up."

On Wichita State's experience in postseason:
"You can't overlook anybody but there are some program's that have tradition in postseason and if you look at this Wichita State team, and how far they went last year, they understand the road to Omaha, and what they have to do, and they have experience."

Oklahoma pitcher Andrew Doyle
On playing Wichita State:
"We are going to approach it just like any other game. It is postseason baseball and anything can happen. We are going to go out and control what we can control. The offense has been doing great lately and so has the defense. The starting pitching has really stepped up and so has the bullpen. Our bullpen has done a really good job locking down games. We are definitely excited about the opportunity that is in front of us."

Oklahoma shortstop Bryant Hernandez
On the opportunity of playing in postseason:
"It's postseason and we are going to go out and play every game as hard as we can and have fun doing it. We don't have to worry about school or anything and it is a blast doing it. We are just going to take one game at a time."

On Wichita State:
"We take every game the same because it's baseball; you never know what could happen. We don't want to take one team lightly because anything can happen.

"We have seen their pitchers and we have played against them before so we know what kind of talent they have, but like I have said we take every game the same."

Oklahoma catcher J. T. Wise
On the advantages on playing a regional game at home:
"Having our home crowd here and playing in Norman will definitely help us out and just knowing our own field. We played here all year and most of us have played here multiple years and I think that will be a big advantage."

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Arkansas Head Coach Dave Van Horn
Opening Statement and how you feel about your team being prepared:
"Just glad to be here. I think playing in the SEC tournament can prepare you for any tournament in the country. It's just a matter of going out and playing well and that's what this tournament is going to boil down to. Whoever plays the best will win."

On other teams in regional
"I don't think there is an advantage, I think I takes the edge off a little bit because you know what you're getting into. We have not seen Wichita state. The Washington State series was a long time ago, it was opening weekend and everyone was excited. At the time we didn't know how well we would be this year and we felt Washington State had a pretty good team. They battled us. It could have gone either way - all three games. So really we don't look at the wins and losses, but we do know what they are all about."

On this year's team:
"This team to me has played some very good games, that we have played just good enough to win. We have found ways to win. I don't really think, throughout this whole season, that we have played to our potential. I don't think we have ever been as good as I think we could have been, and we still have time to do it and that's the positive. Not a better time."

On playing Oklahoma:
"When we played them it was only about three weeks ago and they just looked really good. Watching them taking batting practice and in and out, you could tell they looked talented. We have heard a lot about their weekend pitchers and how good they are. We have seen their closer. We saw a mid week guy that pitched really well against us and if their weekend guys are better, than they are really good."

Arkansas Infielder Chase Leavitt
On being a senior in post season play:
"It's great. You have got to live it up, last year we didn't finish like we would have liked to, so we have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder. We have got to come out here and get fired up. We've got a great team and great potential. Great coaches and great programming have put us in that great opportunity to be here and we're right where we want to be. We just have to come out here and play and take care of business."

On past Arkansas teams compared to this one:
"We have a bunch of good guys on our team, not only on the field but off the field. We get along, we like to joke around and have fun. There is a lot of good character on this team and I think that is going to take us a long ways. So we just have to go out there and play hard, have a lot of enthusiasm and confidence.

Arkansas Pitcher Dallas Keuchel
On playing in the post season:
"I'm a little anxious. It's been a week and a half since Wednesday. Washington State is obviously a good hitting team. I have great respect for their ball club and what they can do. I just go out there and pitch my game and hopefully get a win."

On playing Washington State:
"I remember a lot. I have great respect for their lineup. I'm looking forward to throwing against them. They can swing it a little bit. I got a lot of ground ball outs from what I can remember."

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Washington State Head Coach Donnie Marbut
Opening Statement:
“We're just happy to be here, it's an exciting time for these boys, they have had a great season. We're just fortunate to be in a great regional here in Norman. We have some familiarity with two of the clubs. We're just happy to be here.”

On his thoughts after getting selected into the tournament:
“These guys are ready to play. When you get selected you're just thinking about your clubs. The fortunate part is that we have a little bit of familiarity with two of the teams. For me, it was just time to go to work. “

On facing Oklahoma and Arkansas after playing both teams in the regular season:
“It's a plus when you put the scouting reports together, because it doesn't take too much time. I don't think it's a plus when you have to play in Norman, or you have to play the Razorbacks or Wichita State. I think it's a tough regional. Out of the 16 regions out there, they are all tough, so it didn't matter which one we got sent to. We knew we would be in for a challenge from the other three clubs.”

On facing Oklahoma again after splitting the earlier series:
“These guys are a confident group. Our kids have been confident about the season from the start. But Oklahoma is a great team, it's crazy that we're at a regional where we have played these guys eight times in the past two years. We've played no team more than the Sooners. I think you have to play good baseball no matter where you go. “

Washington State Senior Pitcher Matt Way
On facing Arkansas again:
“I think it should be a better series this time. I think we have matured and gotten a lot better over the season. I think they might have been a step or two ahead of us in that first series, where I think now it might be a little more even, especially on a neutral field.”

Washington State Senior Pitcher Jared Prince
On facing Arkansas again:
“We're very excited to play them. We know they're a great club with great tradition. We played them early on and it didn't go our way. We're definitely a different team than we were then, we have grown up a lot. They are a different team too so we're really excited to see what happens this time. I think it should be a lot better series. It's amazing to think of how much baseball has happened in between so it should be a different series.”

On making the tournament for the first time since 1990:
“Growing up, my dad always told me that, back in his day, if you were anybody in the state of Washington and you played baseball, you went to Washington State. I know there was a large gap in between there where people went other places. We're happy to put Washington State baseball back on the map and bring baseball culture back to the university.”

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Wichita State Head Coach Gene Stephenson
On top-seeded Oklahoma:
“They are a very, very good team. The first time we saw them in Wichita this year, I said 'this is a top five team.' The way they played against us in Wichita, beating us 15-0, I thought they were a top five team in the country and I have no reason to doubt that right now. They have everything. They pick up the ball well, they do all the things they need to do defensively, they have great depth on the pitching staff and they have great hitters with great power. They are a great team, and we know that. On paper we have no chance whatsoever, fortunately we don't play the game on paper all the time.”

On the team's turn around after an eight-day break:
“Something happened that never happens in baseball. The eight day lay-off helped us, and I would never say that's possible. As bad as we were playing, we were faced with going into Southern Illinois, against a team that wasn't playing well either, and maybe losing three more with the way we were going. With the devastation that happened in that area that weekend, not having power in the hotel, and running out of running water, it made us stop and think. We have it pretty good and we are fortunate to be from where we are. The fact that we got away from the game and thinking about something else and the fact that the guys got to spend some more time together, it made us play better. “

On playing in the Norman regional:
“We have to do a really good job if we want to be in this tournament. There are three outstanding teams in this tournament, we're not one of them. I want you to know that we're going to play hard and play well. But, we're playing a top five team in Oklahoma, Arkansas who has a great deal of talent and Washington State who finished second in the Pac-10. These are very good teams, don't think that any of those three teams can't win this tournament.”
Wichita State Junior Pitcher Clint McKeever

On playing in the Norman regional:
“This is our reward for struggling through a tough season and coming back to win the Valley Tournament. We're just looking to having some fun this weekend and play some good baseball. We'll see what happens.”

On winning the Valley Tournament:
“We finally played some good baseball, got some good wins and won the Valley Tournament. We got our bid here and I think that's going to give us some confidence, and that's what we need, to come out and play well in this tournament.”

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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