Pre-Super Regional Press Conference Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Ohio State Quotes
Head coach Bob Todd
Opening statement
“It’s going to be an interesting weekend. Both teams have earned the right to be here and both of them did it in Cinderella-like fashion. When you take a look at Southwest Missouri State, they accomplished a lot in Lincoln, Neb., beating a very good Nebraska team twice in Lincoln. That is a huge accomplishment. If you take a look at what we did down in Auburn, Ala., I think there was another Cinderella story. It’s going to be a great weekend of baseball.”
On being at home after playing well on the road:
“There is no question, we want to play at home. Our players love playing at Bill Davis Stadium. Our fans have created a great atmosphere over there. When you are on the road, you have to take a different mentality to the game and to the ballpark. There are a lot of things you have to block out. The biggest concern I have as a coach is that we have to continue to make the fans work for us. They are a positive for us.”
On losing to SMS earlier this season:
“I have not said one word about this team and really about how we played in the first few weeks of the season. What we have to do right now is focus on the way we have been playing the past couple of weeks and continue to have that same attitude and determination. I feel like our players have shown and great deal of heart and character the past two or three weeks and I just want the momentum to continue.”
On this team compared to other Ohio State teams which have been close to the CWS:
“When you look back at Ohio State over the past 11 to 12 years, it prides itself on producing an awful lot of quality players who have gone on to play professional baseball. I have never been a coach that has liked to compare teams. Each team has its own personality.”
On this weekend:
“The first thing to remember is there is going to be a lot of hype Saturday night. This is a best two-of-three game series and we have to win two games. The great thing about baseball is you don’t just play one game for everything. There is al lot of baseball to be played. It will be critical for us to focus then let the chips fall where they may.” Junior Christian Snavely
Opening statement
“It’s going to be an emotional weekend. After going up to Minnesota on the road and playing Auburn on the road, it is going to be a nice change to get home and play in front of all our fans who are behind us 100 percent.”
On being at home after playing well on the road:
“We have played well on the road the past couple of weeks but this isn’t your average game coming up this weekend. It is going to be more intense with the chance to go on and play in the College World Series. We have a lot to play for and I think we are definitely going to be ready for that challenge.”
On losing to SMS earlier this season:
“I think payback is always in the back of your mind, but we aren’t just playing against another team. We’re playing the game of baseball the way we know how to play it. We have to go out there and execute on offense and defense have great pitching. If we do that we have a great shot of winning each and every game. Obviously you want to get revenge on them, but if we just take care of business and do our part and we will be all right.”
On advancing to the College World Series in Omaha:
“It’s going to be like any other game. We just have to take it one game, one pitch at a time. We can’t look ahead or we will end up falling behind. We have to play solid, defensive baseball. Our bats have been hot lately. We have to continue playing each inning pitch-by-pitch.”
Junior Josh Newman
Opening statement
“It’s going to be exciting to come out and see all the fans in Scarlet and Gray. Down in Auburn, we had so many fans rooting against us. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. (Getting to Omaha) is what we play our whole season for.”
On being at home after playing well on the road:
“I’m glad we’re playing at home for both athletic and academic purposes. It’s exciting to get the chance to play another series at Bill Davis Stadium.”
On losing to SMS earlier this season:
“They had opened the season the weekend before us so had the opportunity to play some games. We haven’t really went back and looked at that game because you can’t really get anything out of getting beat 18-3. We’re not going to go back and look at it. This is a different ballgame.”
On advancing to the College World Series in Omaha:
“We are playing Southwest Missouri State. We have to play one game at a time, relax and play baseball.”
Southwest Missouri State
Head Coach Keith Guttin
On playing Ohio State previously:
“I don’t remember much about it. It was cold down there. I think we were both at home in Beaumont (Texas). The score is meaningless. I told Bob (Todd) that they were going to be good in a month. I didn’t think they were going to be this good. But they (the Buckeyes) are well coached. Bob (Todd) and I are from close neighborhoods, so I tend to follow what he does.”
On the outcome of the game:
“These guys (SMS) like to fish. Either they will be fishing on Tuesday or they are going to keep playing. They will be happy either way.”
On comparing football strengths to baseball strengths:
“I think we have been in situations over the years, in postseason play, where coming into it there weren’t a lot of people familiar with us or our accomplishments. We are not beating the drum for respect. That’s not us. Our guys go out and play hard.”
On pitching being the team’s strength:
“Pitching has been our most consistent part all year. We don’t have what we consider a No. 1 (pitcher). We have had Chad (Mulholland) and Brad (Ziegler) who have thrown the first two games all year.”
On playing on the road:
“Sometimes you are better off on the road. You have less distractions. We are out of class. We are together. It is more regiment on the road. Plus we are the home team two out of three games.”
Right-handed Pitcher Chad Mulholland
On the possibility of playing in the College World Series:
“We want to do what we have been doing and take one pitch at a time.”
On playing on the road:
“I like coming in and playing as the underdog.
Outfielder Dant’e Brinkley
On the possibility of playing in the College World Series:
“The College World Series is a big thing. But if you go in there worrying about the College World Series, then you are going to be at home fishing. We are just going to come in and do what we have been doing, just having fun playing baseball.”
On playing on the road:
“We have had a lot of practice on the road and we are getting use to it. We are here and fans are going to be rooting against us, so we already know that coming in.”
