NCAA Region 4 Media Day-Press Conference Quotes
6/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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2006 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional |
Media Day ?? NCAA Region 4 (Tuscaloosa)
Thursday, June 01, 2006
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
ALABAMA QUOTES
Head coach Jim Wells
Opening Comments
“We are very excited about being here and we look forward to playing tomorrow. We know the competition is stiff but it has been that way all year. We look forward to our team performing well.”
On what Alabama needs to do to win
“Right now its just about winning the game, whether its getting hits, passed ball, getting hit with a pitch, making pitches when it counts. We can’t avoid getting a timely hit and we know that, but as this team knows, we have to draw on our experiences. Whenever we’ve been down we’ve found a way to come back. We’ve been able to make adjustments throughout the year. I’m a big believer in if you’ve done it all year you’ll do it again.”
Emeel Salem
“We’re excited to be here. We’ve had a good week of practice so we feel confident coming in here. We feel like we’ve corrected some things that need to be corrected and hopefully they will fall into place.”
Wade LeBlanc
On starting the first game of the tournament
“I’m excited to be able to start the first game. It’s important to go out and do a good job and set the tempo for the rest of the team. If I can do my job then I’m confident that everyone else will follow suit.”
TROY TROJANS QUOTES
Head Coach Bobby Pierce
Opening Comments
“Well first of all I am very proud of our team. They have played extremely well this season. We have been able to put up the kind of offensive numbers that people around the country have noticed. In regional play with better pitchers I’m not sure if we will be able to keep up that pace. There are three other very good teams at this regional and we are familiar with all of them.”
SS Tom King
On the team’s goals
“Before the season started it was one of our goals to make it to the postseason. This year the guys came together and we had a good season. We are not just satisfied with making it this far. Our goal is to come here and win games and make it to the super regional.”
P Josh Dew
on 1st round game vs. Southern Miss
“Southern Miss is a good team; they swept us earlier in the year in Hattiesburg. They have good pitching and defense and can swing the bats. They are a tough team. I am sure all of these teams here are trying to win that first game because it is so important.”
OF Mike Felix
On what Coach Pierce means to the team
“Coach Pierce has been a great leader for us. We play hard for him because we know how hard he works for us. We all just feel so comfortable with him around. I have been around other coaches, but I feel most comfortable with Coach Pierce. He works hard and we know he is behind us.”
JACKSONVILLE STATE QUOTES
Head Coach Jim Case
On advancing to the NCAA Regional:
“I think the first thing I’d like to say is how excited we are to be here. This week has been an exciting and awesome experience. To be able to be here and play the University of Alabama is a thrill for our team.”
On his team’s season:
“We got off to an extremely slow start, which was extremely disappointing. Since that time, we are 34-15 and have been playing really well, especially the last month and a half. We hope we can continue they way we have been playing over that time this week.”
On the team’s turnaround:
“I wish I knew what we did to get it done. We had some new guys in the lineup and that was part of it, trying to figure out where they fit best. But our players never gave up and kept working hard and got better.”
On facing Alabama with a roster with numerous native Alabama players:
“I don’t think you have any extra motivation facing them, just the challenge to continue to play is enough. When we started with this program, we made a concerted effort to get back to the success Jacksonville State had had before using kids from this state, especially north of Montgomery. Today, we have 85 percent of our kids from Alabama.”
Pitcher Donovan Heard
On facing Alabama:
“I think this is a good opportunity for us, we are very excited. I am just going to try to take control on the mound and let our offense help us.”
On his approach to pitching in NCAA Regional:
“I go about it as just another game. I feel it’s the way you have to go in to a game like this. After the first pitch, that’s how I’ll try to see it. It’s going to be a good opportunity for me.”
SOUTHERN MISS QUOTES
Head Coach Corky Palmer
Opening Comments
“It’s been an up and down season for us. We’re glad we’re in and happy to be in Tuscaloosa. We have a tough draw in Troy and you have to throw out everything that happened in March because they are a different team. We’re excited about it and we think that on any given day we can play with anybody if we’re playing our game.”
On playing at Sewell-Thomas Stadium
“The wind was blowing in a little today and we still hit a bunch out of the park in batting practice and that’s kind of our game. This park plays a lot like our park at home. There is a good hitting background and the ball carries most of the time. Honestly, we don’t run real well so we have to hit the ball in the power alleys and hit a bunch of home runs. We have to do those things if we want to be successful.”
Pitcher Barry Bowden
On starting Friday’s game
“I need to stay ahead in the count and not get behind too many batters. I think I’ll be successful if I can hit my spots. This is the big time. We feel like we have the pitching to go further in the tournament this year.”
