Quotes: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia

Quotes: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
Location: Oklahoma City - Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark
Result: Loss, 1-11
Attendance: 4,467
Date: May 28, 2016

Oklahoma Head Coach Pete Hughes
Opening Statement:
“Disappointing day for a lot of reasons. We had a great group of guys, you want to extend your player-coach relationship with, it's a great group. That's disappointing. It's a credit to West Virginia. [Connor] Dotson was thrown into action and he silenced a club, our club, that was really swinging the bats really well. Give him a lot of credit. They had nine strikeouts and damage control a lot of things. I think the storyline of the game really was our execution in a lot of different areas whether it be defense or offense, we just didn't execute on a number of occasions and they put enough pressure on you and got enough big hits to take advantage of it. The worst part of the day is not being around these guys again and coaching them. This guy [Sheldon Neuse] is the best player I have ever coached at this level. So, those things, it all comes together at the end of the season. So, to me, that is the hardest part.”

On the disappointment in missing the tournament for the third straight year:
“It is disappointing, it's not the standard, it's not why I came here that is for sure. I did come here to build it be a consistent winner and sometimes things aren't always what they appear, we have to be patient, we've got to believe in a process. It has been as disappointing to anybody, but to me the big picture is clear and the future is good. We got all these young guys, our first recruiting class have jumped up there and had a really good weekend and kids got a lot of good experience. I wish we played as well in the first part of the year as we did in the last part of the year, but that is growth and the learning curve. We're going to get it right, I know that. We got the right people and the right character in that clubhouse, and we got the right talent where we're going to get it right and it's going to be right and being built to be right for a long time.”

On Conner Dotson:
“He beat us with his fastball. It's disappointing because it is kind of in our wheelhouse. He was effectively wild enough too, where we weren't very comfortable in their all the time. He came at us and was preliminary with his fastball and he would show breaking ball, but it was never in the zone. Kid did a good job. We got a big inning in the first and second with no outs, but couldn't advance our runners that was kind of key there in the second inning. It wasn't clean baseball. Our goal today was energy and execution. You are tired, morning game, it's the fourth game of the tournament, you need energy, energy, energy, but you got to execute and we didn't do that. West Virginia did a good job, they are hot. Hopefully their arms can stay healthy and they can make a run at this thing tomorrow.”

Alex Wise, Sr., OF
On his thoughts on the game:
“It is baseball. You have those days where you string hits together, you those big innings, and sometimes you have bases loaded and can't run across. It was one of those days I couldn't scratch to get runs across and answer the call. They were putting runs across.”

Sheldon Neuse, Jr., INF
On thoughts on finishing his career at Oklahoma:
“Best three years of my life. So many experiences, friendships, relationships that were built here, stuff I will remember forever. (I am) not ready to leave yet, but there are places I got to go and things I got to do for myself. These guys here are unbelievable and I cannot explain it. I can't thank the coach enough for inviting me to come play. It is hard to explain”

On the future of Oklahoma:
“I see some clean baseball coming ahead. I think these guys are going to make a run at it. There are lot of young guys who got a lot of experience this year, especially swinging the bat which is going to be huge for them. I think the runs are going to keep coming. The arms are going to get developed. I am really looking forward to see what they are going to do in the next few years. I just see a team that has a chance to win it all every year.”