WSU-UCI Game One Quotes
June 9, 2007
Wichita State Head Coach Gene Stephenson
On the game:
"It was a whale of a game. Both teams pitched well. We missed opportunities in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings and they were all different problems. We've got to be able to live with those in clutch situations and we didn't do it. We attempted a hit and run in the sixth with one out. I thought we might catch them napping but they were ready for it. We still had an opportunity with the bases loaded later but we couldn't execute when we needed to."
"We put ourselves in a situation with runners on first and third with one out. We got the line drive we needed but we had an over-anxious runner on third. He knows that we're coming back to third on a line drive, but he broke and went the wrong direction. In the heat of the moment our anxiety got the best of us."
"We pitched so well and played such good defense. We had a situation where we could win the ball game if we just execute. Give great credit to Gorgen. He pitched well. I can't say our guys took a second fiddle to anybody. We pitched well. They hit the ball to the right spot a few times and that's how they scored. It could have gone either way and they won today so we'll see how it goes tomorrow."
On bringing Noah Krol in with the bases loaded in the eighth.
"I felt comfortable going against Madigan because Krol has been sharp. Coming in fresh with the bases loaded, Capra might have trouble getting behind the hitter and could walk a guy. I'd do the same thing again. They hit the ball to him and nine times out of ten he'll make the play."
On the middle of the batting order.
"We had some bad at bats and made some poor choices. We need to be better tomorrow on the offensive side and we know that. We're facing another great pitcher and we'll have to adjust to what he's doing and I think we will."
Derek Schermerhorn
On the effectiveness of UC-Irvine's Scott Gorgen
"He got ahead of everybody. He changed speeds a little and he threw a lot of strikes.
On losing another tournament opener
"I'm not too worried right now. We've lost our first game in both tournaments we've played in. We're going to play well. We played alright today but we can play a lot better and we play well when our season is on the line."
Dusty Coleman
On Gorgen
"I didn't think he was throwing that hard the whole game, he just pitched well and hit his spots. He threw a lot of change ups late in the game so I don't think his arm was getting very tired."
On bouncing back
"I think we're getting used to it. We did in the conference tournament and at regionals so I guess we're right where we want to be. We could have won this game but we just didn't play well when we needed to.
On his success against Gorgen
"I felt like I saw the ball pretty well today and had an idea of what he was going to throw me. He had been throwing a lot of change ups and I got ahold of a couple of them."
Pitcher Noah Krol
On the run-scoring hit in the eighth.
"He didn't hit it back at me very hard and I didn't make the play. It bounced up toward the third base line and I just didn't make the play."
Starting Pitcher Aaron Shafer
On pitching without his sleeve.
"I was informed before I went out that Irvine might say something about it so I took it off to avoid causing a scene. I put it on between innings and stayed loose pretty well."
On faking the throw to first on a bunt (7th inning)
"The guy at third was the centerfielder so I was assuming he'd be pretty quick. The batter laid down a pretty good bunt and Connor called me off but we'd been working on some different coverages and we knew this guy would be running on our third baseman. I didn't want to take a chance on a throw to first, so I faked it and turned around and saw the guy running. It was a last second deal and I thought I could get him. He bounced off there far enough to catch him off the base."
UC-Irvine Head Coach Dave Serrano
On the game
"It was an old-time pitcher's duel. It wasn't easy but we'll take it. Winning game one is great to do in this kind of atmosphere, a super regional, but it means nothing. I think Wichita State proved that last week coming through the losers bracket. Like I told the team, it's all about having a quality day on the field tomorrow. I don't want them to get caught in that trap of 'we have to do it, we have to do it.' We just have to go out and try to get better. What you saw today wasn't exactly our offense, but I give a lot of credit to the Wichita State pitchers. That's a great pitching staff that is well coached and they made it real tough for us. I was so glad when we scored that run because the way Scott (Gorgen) had been pitching it would have been very disappointing for us not to win the game. I thought it was going to be a close game when I woke up this morning. It was a great overall game."
On letting Gorgen pitch the whole game
"We didn't have many fans in the stands, but if I would have gone out there to take him out, they probably would have been in the dugout waiting to strangle me. The way this young man is pitching right now is pretty spectacular. The only thing I can compare it to is Jason Windsor in 2004 when he singlehandedly helped Cal. State-Fullerton win the championship. What Scott is doing right now is probably on a faster pace than that. We were going to win or lose with him."
On the fans
"These fans were different than at Round Rock. They were on us the whole game and it's a good experience for our young men. I think they handled the pressure extremely well."
Pitcher Scott Gorgen
"I didn't have my best stuff today but I did have my changeup working. Wichita State played us tough. We'll have another dog fight on our hands tomorrow."
"I succeed and do well when I get ahead on the batter. When I fall behind, I struggle. Coach always stresses that I go get ahead on the batter.
Taylor Holiday
On Double Plays
"Double Plays can change the momentum of the inning. That's part of what helped us keep them from scoring.
On winning the first game.
"We're not going to take Wichita State lightly tomorrow. They've shown that they can come back when they need to and we know that. We're going to come out intense again tomorrow."
Sean Madigan
On his RBI single.
"You just have to put the ball in play and let them see what they can do. If you put the ball in play you put the pressure on the defense and you have a chance to succeed every time. I had a feeling he was going to throw me a fastball and he did."
