June 3, 2001
Losing Team - South Carolina Gamecocks
Head Coach Ray Tanner
Opening Statement: Congratulations to Stanford, their players did a tremendous job. The paper this morning said they were 6-0 in elimination games in the last two years - I was banking on the opportunity just playing in our favor today. We had some opportunities, but they prevailed - they deserved the opportunity to go to Omaha and they're to be congratulated. Our team did a great job as well, it was a 3-2 game. Their pitchers did a great job of keeping us at bay, I'm very disappointed, especially for our seniors, I probably wanted their season to extend as much as any senior class I've ever had.
Q: Was this similar to last year's Sunday game, or was it more painful?
A: I wasn't thinking about last year's game - just today. We had some opportunities, unfortunately we just didn't come up with a big hit. It was one of those games, it was a tough game for either team to lose, it was just a hard fought game.
Tim Whittaker (Player)
Q: Can you talk about that last at bat?
A: I was trying to get a pitch that I could hit out, he threw a pitch I could hit out and I hit a line drive. The shortstop made a great play on it - that's baseball, these things happen.
Kip Bouknight (Player)
Q: Can you talk about this being your last game for USC?
A: I was trying to do all I could to help my team win today, unfortunately I gave up a run and it ended up being the winning run. It was very disappointing, but my hat's off to Stanford, they're a great ball club and I wish them well in Omaha. Our guys gave a very solid effort and they ought to be commended for that.
Winning Team - Stanford Cardinal
Head Coach Mark Marquess
Opening Statement: It was quite a game, I'd like to compliment the University of South Carolina, they're a great team. I'm very impressed with the way they battled back. We had a big win on Friday and they came back and beat us yesterday and gave us a great game today. This is a special team, in 25 years as head coach, this is as special as it gets. This team shouldn't be here - the team is very young and inexperienced but they just didn't believe that should stop them. I'm very proud of this group.
Today's game was like pulling teeth: we left people on base, we didn't get hits - it was frustrating, but they hung in there like they have all year and somehow we found a way to win. We won it like we've been winning all year, with pitching and defense. I couldn't be prouder of our players, our veterans [Chris] O'Riordan, [Scott] Dragicevich, [Andy] Topham, [Mike] Wodnicki and [J.D.] Wilcox, the juniors are a really special group, they deserve to go to the College World Series.
Scott Dragicevich (Player)
Q:Can you talk about the emotional ups and downs of the post-season?
A: I think it's been a real character check for us, we seem to want to play these close games. I think we've already had a bunch of one-run games and it's been a real test for us, but it's proved, like when we had to come back and beat Texas twice, it's proved to us that we can do it - even in the elimination game. It's given us a lot of confidence, maybe it's not exactly the way we wanted to win, but we were able to hold out.
J.D. Willcox (Player)
Q: Last year you only pitched about three innings total, what has enabled you to step up like this year's postseason?
A: Last year we had Jason Young and Justin Wayne that made it hard for anyone else to get out on the mound and Jeff [Bruksch] did a great job as a closer. But I think that this year I've had a little bit more of an attack-oriented attitude - going right at the hitters and believing in the defense. When I finally got my opportunity, I just took those principles to the mound and so far I've been successful. It's really the defense behind me that's doing the job - they made every play today behind me.