NCAA Starkville Super Regional: Notre Dame Quotes (June 11, 2021)

NCAA Starkville Super Regional
Press Conference – Practice Round
Notre Dame
June 11, 2021

Notre Dame Head Coach Link Jarrett

Q: What have you done to prepare for the noise of this Super Regional this weekend?
LJ: "Reminded, refreshed, and rehearsed. We raised the volume. We have talked about it all year. We have practiced with the music on a few times, which I am sure everyone does. I believe that our systematic approach to playing in front of a crowd, even though we have not really except for the regional game, is good. I think we are ready for that. The nonverbal use of communication against the thought that you can talk to the guy right beside you. They understand it. Executing it in this setting for where the rubber meets the road. We have refreshed and worked on it today."

Q: Besides playing the music what have you guys done differently to prepare?
LJ: "Our outfielders communicate in a totally different way than our infielders do. That way there is not a lot of overlap and blend when there is a lot of other verbiage going on around you. All of our signs form me to the offense is all nonverbal stuff. The layers of what we are trying to do are pretty deep. For example, when a runner is on base, we still use the wristbands. When he is looking at the wristband and looking for what the sign is, the hitter cannot be in the box. It is just playing the game with your eyes up a little bit. As the stakes rise in the game, the volume will increase. We do not use the headset from pitcher and catcher at all because we do not want to be in a situation where it does not work. I could go on and on about it and I think that it is just ingrained in their system. Hopefully it will successfully pay off from our systematic preparation."

Q: How do you feel that your lefties matchup this weekend?
LJ: "I know that they handle left-handed pitching pretty well. Our guys pitch to contact. I think that it is just the way the ball bounces for us the weekend. I think it is just that throughout the year there have been some pretty successful teams have their way against lefties. You have to learn that every time that you go out there that getting a breaking ball where it needs to be and not letting that thing hang over the plate and being a little crisper with the fastball execution is going to be big for our success this weekend. Usually, a well-placed changeup against righties has been an effective pitch. You just have to make pitches. The ball will be put in play a lot this weekend. We have to be able to play defense. That is just the way that it is. We have a variety of lefties on our team. Tanner Kohlhepp, who is a totally different type of ball player, Alex Rao, Jack Brannigan, and Liam Simon. There is a mix in there, but at the end of the day we need John Michael Bertrand to give us some outs. We have to defend and get into the game. They are a good offensive team. They know what they are doing. They are able to bring a lot of things out to beat you. We need to execute pitches and be able to defend. Period. We just have to go compete."

Q: Who are you going to announce for this weekend?
LJ: "We are going to just announce John Michael Bertrand for now. We do not want to plan too far out. We are just going to take it game by game. Will Mercer is different from Betrand, and Aiden Tyrell is different than Mercer. They are all left-handed and are unique in their own regard. They all pitch to contact. Our pitching staff is different look from theirs. Both are effective. For John Michael Bertrand and Will Mercer going into deeper innings is another experience factor. They have gotten deep into games and have had a little bit of trouble. We let them get out of it, then off they went. They have both done so many nice things for the team this year in terms of starting, relieving, and coming in off short starts. They have been going out there and have been able to pitch like a starting pitcher is expected to pitch. We are just going to let them go. The other night we could have taken Tyrell out [Aiden Tyrell] but why? We wanted to let him work out of it. We just have to let them ride it. Both teams are very effective."

Q: How well do you know Chris Lemonis?
LJ: "We did not get to play them in a pro park last April and did not get to. I know that that is a big thing in the state. The BIG-10 was not able to play non-conference games this year, so we were not able to play. We were struggling to find people to play. I have not gotten into that rivalry. I know Chris is a great coach and person. The coaching staff here handles their players so well. They all get it. They all get it. Their team has good personality. They are the cream of the crop when it comes to lining up against someone. I am excited to compete against them. I do not thing I have competed against them before. I coached with Coach Foxhall [Scott Foxhall] at Auburn. Just some unique stuff. It will be another tightly knit, close bonded, coaching staff kind of relationship that I will have to part ways with for a couple of hours and jump into the dog fight."

Ryan Cole | Outfielder

Q: How have you guys prepared for the atmosphere of Dudy Noble Field?
RC: "I think it is awesome. It is a dream to play at a field like this in this environment. I think we are going to go out there and try and have some fun while playing our game. If anything, we will just try to not let the fans affect us and act like they are rooting for us."

Q: Have you approached this Super Regional with the feeling that there is a chip on your shoulder?
RC: "It definitely plays a part in it. We are playing with a chip on our shoulder. That is something that is out of our control. We are going to just go out there and play our best version of baseball and find a way to win every day."

Q: How do you feel like you match up with Mississippi State?
RC: "They are a great ballclub. It is going to be a great series. I just feel like we have to do all of the little things right and play our version of baseball. Both teams are great. I feel like who ever does the little things right and plays their best will come out on top."

Q: What do you think has been the key to success for your team this season?
RC: "I think just the dynamic team that we have. The different type of pitchers that we have coming out of the pen and our starters. We have velocity and guys who can mix it. We have an offense that you just never really know what is coming as you go down the lineup. We have power throughout the lineup and then we have small ball. We battle with two strikes and take it pitch by pitch. We just try to play our version of baseball and that has really helped us."

Q: How do you think the power hitters will fare at Dudy Noble Field?
RC: "I think that the ball flies here pretty well. That is definitely not at the top of our mind. We are just trying to put barrels on baseballs. The ones that go out will go out. We are just trying to find a way to take a good approach and see what the pitcher is trying to do. We are just trying to barrel balls all over the field. Hopefully, that will work out."

Q: What approach do you need to take when facing Will Bednar and Christian MacLeod this weekend?
RC: "Will Bednar is a power righty with a slider that he tries to get you to chase. We will try to keep a good approach and stay on top of that fastball. Don't chase off of him and putting balls in play mostly. He usually tries to go on the outside of right handers, I think. Attacking early in counts on good pitches, battling with two strikes, laying off some off-speed pitches, and staying off the fastball up will all help us succeed this weekend. There is definitely a scouting report and an approach that goes into it, but at the end of the day just approaching your abilities on the field and choosing an approach to live with. Just executing to the best of your ability."

Q: How are you guys able to mesh the veterans and the newcomers so well on this team?
RC: "I think that we have a great culture. We just invite everyone into our team. We all hang out on and off the field. We love having everyone around us. It really helps us. It helps guys have confidence in themselves coming into a game knowing that their teammates are behind them nop matter what the outcome might be.

Q: How good has pitcher Tanner Kohlhepp been for this team?
RC: "[Tanner Kohlhepp] has been awesome. Anytime we put him on the field he has been lights out for the most part. We play some good defense behind him. He trusts his stuff and just goes after guys. It usually works out pretty well."

Tanner Kohlhepp | Pitcher

Q: What do you remember about playing Mississippi State, and what have you told your teammates about SEC baseball in general?
TK: "They're a good team. My freshman year [at Tennessee], they came to us. They're a good, athletic group with some good arms. We will have to be ready for that. All in all, this is a Super Regional. Any team we play here is going to be good. We just have to be ready once the first pitch is thrown."

Q: How difficult will it be matching up against State's hitters?
TK: "There will be a lot of tough at bats. They have a lot of guys who can grind out at bats. The long ball is definitely a part of their brand of baseball. We are going to have to be on and be ready from pitch No. 1. We need to get ahead in counts. That's the biggest thing."

Q: Having played at Tennessee, you know what an SEC crowd can look like. Have you had any conversations with your teammates about the crowd size this weekend?
TK: "I don't know how much I can help. You have to see it and experience it. From what I have been able to tell them, the fans love baseball down here. It's a big part of the southern culture. We have to be ready for anything, whether it's the fans yelling at you or the energy in the stadium. We have to be ready because anything can happen, and that's a fun part about being in this environment as well."

Q: What did you do to stay fresh after last weekend?
TK: "Rest is always beneficial, because you can rebound and get to feel as good as you want to feel. To stay sharp, I throw some bullpens. We will be fresh, sharp and ready. We have been consistent all year, and I am confident we will continue to do that this weekend."

Q: Mississippi State has some dangerous lefties at the top of their lineup. As a right hander, what is your general approach with left handers?
TK: "Cutters and changeups are what I like to go with. Cutters on the hands and changeups away. That's how I'll looking to attack, and I am looking forward to the battles I'm about to have with some of these good hitters."

Q: How much do you think experience plays a part in Super Regionals?
TK: "I think it plays some part in it, and that's an advantage that they have considering they have been in Super Regionals. I also think that's an advantage for this club too, because we have guys who have seen a lot of college baseball and have played or three or four years. We can use that to our advantage. We've had to play in some hostile environments. We won't be anything like what we will see here, but we have at least seen something, so we have a feel of what we are going to see."

Mississippi State University Athletics