June 6, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina baseball team met with the media on Wednesday afternoon as the Gamecocks prepare to face North Carolina this weekend in the NCAA Super Regional at Chapel Hill, N.C. All three games will be televised and can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network. Friday and Saturday’s games are set for 7 pm on ESPN with Sunday’s “if necessary” game scheduled for 7 pm and set for ESPN2.
LHP Arik Hempy
On being the visiting team for the second consecutive year in a Super Regional…
“It’s always tough going to another team’s ballpark and trying to get a win out there. We’d love to have it here at The Sarge but things didn’t work out and it’s going to be tougher since we’re there but I think we’ll be able to deal with that pretty well.”
On being a native of North Carolina and connections with UNC…
“My sister and I have always been pretty big UNC basketball fans growing up but other than that my parents are both northerners so that’s about it.”
On being recruited lightly by UNC…
“It didn’t make a difference to me. I really had my mind set that I didn’t want to go to college in-state, I wanted to get out and get on my own.”
On the MLB Draft on Thursday…
“I haven’t heard anything, I don’t think about that, that’s the least on my mind right now. Heading to UNC is right there on the front of my brain and that’s the only thing I’m worried about.”
On having experienced Omaha in 2004 and the possibility of returning this year…
“Getting to a Super Regional is a big accomplishment anyway and taking it another step and making it to Omaha is a thing you’ll never forget. I’ll never forget the year that we went to Omaha. Just playing in a Super Regional is so much fun, being so close, and if you’re the winning team and you get that last out … it’s phenomenal running out there with all the excitement.”
RHP Harris Honeycutt
On returning to his home state of North Carolina…
“It’s pretty exciting, I haven’t been to North Carolina in a while and it’s always good to get back up there.”
On being recruited by UNC…
“I had some choices and just decided to come here. I thought it’d be a better fit for me.”
On the rivalry between UNC and USC in baseball the past few years…
“I’m sure they are [gunning for us], but we’re gunning for them too. There’s a lot to play for here so it should be a really exciting weekend.”
On being the starting pitcher for the first game of the Super Regional…
“It’s the same game and it’s the same 60 feet so matter what day you’re starting so it doesn’t really matter to me. Hopefully we can start the series out on the right foot and start out with a win and set the tone for the weekend.”
On having family members that are UNC fans…
“I talked to my cousin the other day. He’s excited and said that no matter how it turns out it’s good for him. It’s just really exciting to get up there and see everybody and the whole atmosphere.”
On himself and Arik Hempy, both North Carolina natives, starting the first two games against UNC…
“We live really close together. We turned out to be here all four years together as teammates and friends. It’s just really exciting to go back and play in North Carolina.”
On his relationships with the pitchers…
“When I go out there [to the mound] and they’re struggling I just joke around with them and try to calm them down a little bit. Just try to get them back into the game.”
On the team having struggled on the road a bit this season…
“I don’t think it’s going to be that much of a factor because of the fact that we’re going to bring some fans into that place and obviously our fans are some of the greatest fans in the country. They’re backing us 100% and that’s definitely going to help a little bit.”
On the status of the pitching staff…
“I really feel that they’re peaking right now. Last year we were kind of on a down slope heading into the Super Regional. We weren’t as confident as we are this year. We’ve been in some dogfights and gotten it done. Our pitching staff has been pretty good this year so we’re confident right now.”
Coach Ray Tanner
On pitchers Harris Honeycutt and Arik Hempy…
“Both those guys have been around the block a little bit, they’re battle tested in the SEC, they’ve got to be very special against a team as good as North Carolina, but they’re the right guys for the game.”
On a starting pitcher for a possible third game this weekend…
“More than likely it’ll be [RHP Mike] Cisco if we don’t use him in the first two. He’s also pitched in this league for a while, he was in the Regionals and the Super Regionals last year.”
On playing in a Super Regional environment…
“We know we have to play well at the right time. We play in a league that prepares us for this type of environment and UNC does as well. Two pretty great teams going at each other if you at the RPI rankings. You have to make big plays and certainly starting pitching holds the key.”
On the rivalry between USC and UNC…
“It’s a great rivalry. I think our guys respect them a lot, we’ve known their coaches for a long time. It’s the best Super Regional going this weekend as far as RPIs are concerned.”
