Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Following No. 3 Virginia Tech softball's 4-0 win over Saint Francis (Pa.) in the first game of the Blacksburg Regional on Friday, the Hokies held a press conference, with head coach Pete D'Amour and select players meeting with the media. For what they had to say:
HEAD COACH PETE D'AMOUR
Opening Statement:
"A win's a win. I didn't think we played our best today, which is a good sign moving forward. Coming out of the regional, the first game you always have a bit of jitters. I've been in enough of them where that's almost always a tough game. Just happy to get the win and see who wins the next game."
On keeping the team focused on the bigger picture of the tournament:
"If you look at the tournament as a whole and you're trying to win the tournament, obviously, it puts a lot of pressure on you. You see the big picture and you're saying, 'We're going to Oklahoma City.' It doesn't work like that. My message to the team before the game was, 'This is what we work for. You know, go out and play loose. All the hard work since August is for today and the next couple of weeks. So, just go out and enjoy it. If you're not enjoying this moment in regionals and the postseason, [this] is probably not the program for you. Just enjoy what we're doing.'"
PITCHER KEELY ROCHARD
On the significance of throwing a no-hitter in the postseason:
"I try to just do that throughout the preseason and regular season, too. Just to mimic what I want in the postseason. Any no-hitter, regardless of whether it's in the postseason, is really hard to do."
RELATED LINKS
- Rochard's no-hitter propels No. 3 Hokies past Saint Francis (Pa.), 4-0
- Hokie Club announces postseason giving campaign for Virginia Tech Softball
- Soundbites: NCAA Regional Preview Press Conference
SHORTSTOP KELSEY BENNETT
On the energy Hokie Nation brought:
"It was exciting with Hokie Nation coming out and supporting us today. Before the game even started, our coaches were big on telling us to look up at the stands and get used to that. Our fans showed up for our first game and am excited to see them continue to support us the rest of the weekend."