TCU Meets The Press
6/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Opening Statement:
"We're excited to have a Super Regional in Fort Worth. We certainly have a great opponent. We're gonna have good weather, knock on wood. It should be dry, and there should be great crowds. It should be a great showcase for college baseball in the state of Texas. We're very happy to host in Fort Worth."
On the TCU crowd against NC State:
"Normally, the play of the field inspires the crowd. We've had some great crowds in the Regional and Super Regionals in the past, but it was nothing like that. They inspired our team. When that first hitter came to home down 8-1 in the eighth inning, they got on their feet and it was like `C'mon guys, you can do this.' Our team fed off that. I don't know NC State's team personally, but if you're just an outsider watching what happened you'd have to say that it affected their play."
Representing the Big 12:
"We're proud to represent the conference, but we're trying to win a baseball game. I don't want our guys thinking about that stuff. All they can control is how they play the next pitch. We're going to have a lot of fun with this. This is a life experience. It doesn't mean we're not trying to win, but I've been a part of six or seven Suer Regionals, and I have been a part of winning them and a part of losing them,. First you have to play well, and second of all you have to enjoy the heck out of it, If you build tot much into it, it will be over quick."
"Having this opportunity and to play on ESPN with their A group to broadcast it on national TV, I mean that's why I came to TCU to be a part of building something like this. We're getting ready to play a Super Regional in front of 7,000 people in Lupton Stadium. Thirteen or 14 years they were considering dropping baseball here. I think we have come a long way. This is going to be fun."
On Texas A&M's line-up:
"We were really impressed with NC State and their right-handed hitters and we know A&M's park plays a little bit different than ours. We know how physical they are. What they do is punish mistakes and so that's why a guy with command like Tyler, if he's on, he'll give us a good chance, and we know what Preston (Morrison) can do. If you miss in the middle of plate or pitch from behind in the count, they are going to make you pay. It's going to be a great challenge."
On instant replay:
"I'm looking forward to it. We had it in the Big 12 Tournament. It's going to be interesting. We're going to have some fans down the left-field line so there are more opportunities for fan interference. I'm OK with it being a part of baseball. It's not going to be on the outs and safes, but on catch no-catch, home runs, and fan interference. It's good for the sport."
Tyler Alexander, LHP
On postseason starts:
"I like to pitch with a lot of pressure and I like it when the stands are full. It's fun. But at the same time, Saturday is going to be just the same as a normal regular-season start or preseason start. I can't overhype it in my head. I have to go out and make the pitches that I know I can. I can't overthink it."
On the Aggies' line-up:
"We have a game plan and as a pitcher I know that I need to keep the ball low in the zone and attack with my fastball like I have done pretty much everybody this year. I need to find my off-speed pitches early. Mainly, I need to keep the ball down. With a team that has as much power as they, that'll be big for me."
On the team:
"We have a really old team this year and a lot of experience, and what that does it makes us younger players have a lot more experience. We live through what the older guys have done and been through. We're able to follow the lead and prepare and get ready for big games like this weekend."
On being the only Big 12 left:
"There is a lot of pride of it being the only Big 12 team left because there were only three of us to begin with. I'm happy to represent the Big 12 in the Super Regional, and hopefully we can represent it in Omaha."
Evan Skoug, C
On Tyler's last start:
"We all know what Ty can do. He was executing all of his pitches. He was attacking hitters, and he was letting our defense do the work for him. He executed good quality pitches and kept his pitch count low and kept going all night, which was extremely huge for us."
On leadership advice from the seniors and upperclassmen:
"Before the season started I actually took a couple of guys out to lunch and asked them a bunch of questions on what it take sot succeed in a program like the, These guys re like older brothers and they are making me fell like I have been there and done that. Without those guys my transition would be a lot less smooth."
