May 28, 2009
Fort Worth, Texas - Texas A&M Head Coach Kyle Colligan and Pitcher/Outfielder Brooks Raley address the media.
Texas A&M Head Coach Rob Childress
Opening Statement:
"We are excited to be here and we know that it's a great regional. We are very familiar with Oregon State, TCU and Wright State. This should be a great tournament and we feel very fortunate to take part in the postseason and we are glad to be here in Fort Worth."
On playing on the road:
"We are fortunate to be here in the South, because early in the season we don't have to travel. We have an opportunity to play a lot of home games. Being at Nebraska for eight years, having the opportunity to go on the road lot of times, give you a chance to bring your team closer together and there's not many distractions. You are around each other 24 hours a day and we have had that opportunity for the last 10 days, being in Oklahoma and on to the Big 12 Tournament. Now that school is out, our only focus is baseball. Now we have the opportunity to come back, have a good week of practice and get the chance to stay together for another week longer. I think it has been good."
On the pitching philosophy in a NCAA Regional:
"It doesn't change anything we do. I don't think you set out for a three-game series the way you would during the regular season. You do everything you can to win the first game and then you worry about the next game. We have announced our game one and two starters, but after that it's TBA. We're going to do whatever we have to do tomorrow and then move on to Saturday. You've got to try to win each day.
Texas A&M sophomore pitcher/outfielder Brooks Raley
On starting the Aggies' opening game against Oregon State:
"It's another good opportunity for our team to go out and prove that we are a good team. We are playing against a great team in Oregon State and I get the opportunity to throw the ball again. We are going to go play our game."
On the importance of this opening game:
"It's just as important as any other series we play during the season. Granted, we haven't played this team yet, but we are going to take the field just like we usually do, play hard for nine innings and see where it ends up."
Texas A&M senior outfielder Kyle Colligan
On the mood of the team:
"I think the mood is great. The chemistry is back and we are having fun again. Whenever you go through a little streak that we went through, a little rough patch, it's difficult to put that behind you, but I think we managed to do that."
On the hitter's approach at the plate in Lupton Stadium:
"We are going to see some great pitching this weekend. We will need to do a good job of getting inside the baseball and drive it the other way. This isn't a ballpark where you can try to just yank everything and hit home runs, so we will try to hit hard ground balls and hopefully those turn into line drives and extra-base hits."