Nebraska Head Coach Dave Van Horn
On how his team is playing
"I think over the past month this team has slowly but surely kept getting better and better. You never know when it is all going to end, and you are going to have a bad weekend or a bad game or two. We have strung together some pretty good games the past 20 games. We haven't won them all, but we have won most of them. I couldn't be happier about the way we are playing this time of year."
Nebraska Pitcher Shane Komine
On how he is feeling
"This week has been the best I have felt this whole season. My body has just felt great after the start on Friday night. On Saturday, my body was taking it pretty well. I felt like I could go out and throw, if I needed to on Sunday. Which is a really good sign for me. I'm just really excited to get this super regional going, and I can't wait until tomorrow."
On the experience
"It really helps a lot. There are a lot of teams that go into a super regional not knowing what to expect. We have been there (regionals) the past three or for years now, and we know what kind of atmosphere it is going to be, and what kind of level we are going to play on. I think that is a big plus for us."
"It makes a pitcher feel a lot more comfortable. For me personally, I know what to expect and I'm not going to let any kind of pressure get to me."
On pitching opposite such a talent pitcher
"Definitely it does. When you are going to face a guy that is 15-2 with a 1.60 ERA, it always makes you want to play a lot harder and step it up to another level, as a team and an individual. It is going to be a very good match up tomorrow and we are going to do the best we can and hopefully come up with the win."
On playing his last game in Lincoln
"We (Will and Shane) want to end our career here at home on the right foot, and pushing us into the World Series. That has been a goal of our all year after making it last year. We have the team to do it, we just have to go out there and execute and play well."
Nebraska Infielder Will Bolt
On the motivation of going to the College World Series
"All of the guys on this team know what is at stake with a win this weekend. Obviously, there are some guys that didn't make it last year that really want to get there bad. And, the guys that were on the team last year want to get back and do some damage. No one really has to be motivated to play this weekend. We just have to take it as another game."
On the experience factor
"It is always good to have been there before. We kind of figured out how to win one (Super Regional) last year against one of the best pitchers in the country. We have to look at it like it is just another series, and if we win it we get to go to Omaha."
On playing his last game in Lincoln
"Shane and I were talking after practice today about how great it would be to be able to play our last game in front of our fans, and take our team to the College World Series. That is something that would be a great way to finish our career at Nebraska.
Nebraska Outfielder Jeff Leise
On the experience factor
"We know what it is all about now. We have been through regionals. We have been through super regionals, so I don't think there are going to be any surprises for us. We are just going to go out and play our baseball and play hard. Hopefully, things will go our way. We know what it is about now, and we just have to go out and play."
On possibly playing his last game in Lincoln
"For me, I just try not to worry about it too much I just want to just go out every day and play hard, and give it my best effort. Hopefully, I things will turn out well.
Richmond Head Coach Ron Atkins
Opening statement:
"I tell you, it's great to be here in sunny Lincoln, Neb. I wasn't sure we were going to make here yesterday, but our kids did a great job hanging around the airport, and the way they conducted theirselves. I want to thank the people of Lincoln for hosting this thing, and you can tell it's first-class. We're here, and it's not the right thing to say, but we hope we are going to win this thing. We came here to win it, and I'm sure Nebraska is here to win it. It's been a long year for us. We started off pretty well, and continued it. I've had a lot of good ballclubs through the years, and this team is pretty special.
How important is it to win the first game in the series?
The first game sets the tone for the whole series. Like in the regional with Wake Forest, they had to come back and beat us twice. With Matt Craig, I heard him say 80 percent of doubleheaders are splits, and that's how important the first game is. I'm sure it's going to be doubly important playing on someone else's field.
Has it sunk in for you and the team that you are playing for a right to go to the College World Series?
This is a special team, they stay focused. It's unbelievable the amount of focus they have, the amount of leadership our captains have provided all year. I've had teams where the team chemistry wasn't there and you knew when the going got rough, maybe the rough wouldn't get going. But I can't say that about this team. When they get down they get tougher and focused. All week I've heard how the crowd was going to play a part, but I'll tell you, if you are a good baseball player you're out there and the crowd gets you fired up with they are for you or against you.
Richmond First Baseman Vito Chiaravalloti
How exciting is it for you to be at the Super Regional?
I'm excited to be here to play in front of so many people. This will be the largest crowd most of us have ever played in front of, and like coach said, whether they are for you or against you, it's going to be fun. I think at first, it will be a shock to our team, but after a while it will all blend in and we won't be concentrating on the crowd.
Has it sunk in that you are just two games away from the College World Series?
Without a doubt. At beginning of the year, not many people had Richmond in their brackets in the Sweet 16. We did. I told team at beginning of the year, we needed to reach at the Super Regionals because that's the type of team we had. We just wanted to take it as far as we could go, and that's what we're doing. If they beat us and we are playing our best, then hats off to them. If not, then we are going to be on our way to Omaha.
Do you think experience will be a difference-maker for these teams?
Only one person on this team has been to a regional, besides coach, and we won it last week anyway. Experience can only help so much. They have been to the World Series, regionals and super regionals, so that may help them, but it's not going to hurt us. We're going to have to be out here playing like dumb freshmen who don't know what we are doing and just play baseball.
Richmond Pitcher Tim Stauffer
What have you heard about Shane Komine, your counterpart on the mound?
I've heard a lot of good things about him. I know he's been battling some injuries lately but looks like he had a pretty solid outing last week, so hopefully he will be ready to go. Hopefully it's a low-scoring game, and we score some runs early. I'm excited for it.
Richmond Shortstop Matt Craig
Is Komine best starting pitcher you will have faced this year?
Yeah, I think without a doubt. We've faced (a couple good guys) against Wake Forest last week on Sunday, but as far as a No. 1 starting pitcher, I'd probably say he's the best starting pitcher we've faced this year.
What do you think of playing so close to Omaha and where the CWS will be?
I think it's a blessing we're actually playing Nebraska. I've heard this is the closest thing to the College World Series without actually going as far as atmosphere and the fans. So I'm ecstatic to be here, and we're going to try to get a taste of what Omaha is like playing against the Cornhuskers