March 4, 2011
Recap | Box Score
Head Coach Steve Smith On Logan Verrett:
"He worked out of some issues early. They hit into that double play early in the ball game. I thought his best inning was probably the sixth and I let him go back out there for the seventh and he was off to a good start. There are issues that don't have anything to do with (his) stuff. I think a lot of our issues this early in the year are just pitchers and catchers being on the same page on what they want to do. It is not even Logan, it is almost everybody. That keeps me from being less that effervescent after a ball game, when I don't understand some of the decisions that were made. He wasn't getting in trouble with his fastball. The balls that got hit hard were off speed stuff."
On the team's offensive performance:
"Every day at the plate is going to be different. You got to give the other guy some credit he is trying to get you out. I thought the thing that we did fairly well as well was just score runs when we needed to. We had a runner at third base with one-out a couple of times and we get a fly ball or ground ball. I think from an offensive standpoint they are starting to get more conscious of what they are trying to do in different situations."
On the team not having jitters:
"I can't remember, it may just be Texas kids, I don't know, but I can't ever remember having a team with jitters. A bunch of our guys have played here before, some of them played here in high school. The Big 12 tournament is in a big venue and they have all played in it. I have just never have seen us get real shaky."
Junior Landis Ware
On competing well at the plate:
"It is so semi-early, I guess people are trying to find a groove, but I think today as a team we did real well. Five runs doesn't seem like a lot, but when you have got your pitchers throwing well and with the new bats five runs will do a good job in most games, so I think it was a very good team offensive day."
On his approach at the plate:
"My swing felt good early. I was trying to be a little more patient. I had been getting myself out early. I was trying to be more patient, seeing more pitches."
On starting the weekend with a win:
"It is real nice. It sets the tone for the whole weekend and puts a good taste in our mouth. Definitely better than starting off in the opposite direction and having to come back and feel the pressure to play well. This lets us go a little bit, just playing baseball. It puts us in a good spot for the rest of the weekend."
Junior Pitcher Logan Verrett
On his start:
"It was right up there with the start at Georgia last week. Obviously, we still have got stuff to work on. My defense made some great plays behind me. Those two runs that they scored those were close plays at the plate that could have gone either way had the catcher got the tag there. I was pleased with the start, after the first two innings I settled down and got into my groove and was just playing catch with Joey (Hainsfurther)."
On sticking to the game plan:
"We talked before the game and said we aren't going to switch anything up, just stick with what we have been doing. It worked in Georgia last week and it seems to be working, so we will stick with it."
On settling down and getting stronger:
"I usually do and build up to the later innings. It is a big venue, a lot of people here and you are in Minute Made Park, so you get out there and you are jittery in the first inning. That is when you want to go out there and just put up zeros and once I did that after the first three innings I was able to settle."
Sophomore Third Baseman Jake Miller
On his hitting performance:
"I am just sticking to the same approach as usual. I am not letting the venue and the big stadium take over my nerves. It is the same game playing against the same kind of team, just trying to not let the fans and the big atmosphere take over my emotions."
On if jitters are hard to avoid:
"My first at-bat my heart was pounding, but I kind of take this atmosphere like the Big 12 tournament on steroids. It is a little bigger stadium, same game, but no my nerves were kind of cool. After, I got that first hit out of the way things slowed down and I could see the ball a little better."
