May 27, 1999

USC COACH MIKE GILLESPIE

(On playing VCU again in the regionals) They were hard to find out a lot about last year, as they are again this year. We didn't know much about them last year. They played about as good a team could play that day (a 14-4 VCU win).

(On deciding to start Justin Lehr on Friday and Barry Zito on Saturday)We agonized over this decision. Lehr, in spite of the fact that he doesn't have the win-loss record that Zito has, really has been outstanding. We felt to win this thing, this was the best way. We've been to a lot of regionals and we've been right and we've been wrong. You have to keep in mind you're trying to win the tournament, not just one game.

(On having Pepperdine as the No. 1 seed) My first concern is our players. They can't think that they only have to beat Pepperdine to win this thing. Maybe that's just paranoia on my part.

(On expanding the field to 64 teams) There's no question it makes it more exciting. With more teams, you would expect more excitement from more places. I like the bracket system. You hope people will pay more attention to this. It's easy for people to follow.

USC JUNIOR CATCHER ERIC MUNSON

(On a rematch with VCU) They really handed it to us last year. We won't look past them. That's a good club. We have to get ready for this one and worry about the rest later. It fired us up when we heard we would play VCU. We'd like to get payback.

(On his health situation) I'm 100 percent, all healthy. It was hard missing 20 or so games. But now I'm in good shape and fresh. It worked out well last year when the same thing happened, so I hope it's the same this year.

(On USC's bad start) It was definitely frustrating with that start. But if you play 60+ games, you'll have a cold streak. We had ours at the beginning. But we've gotten better and come back.

USC JUNIOR LEFTHANDER BARRY ZITO

(On having two weeks off since the last game) It's easy to get lax and not bear down, but we haven't done that. I really focused on every bullpen and intersquad games have kept me shart. Plus, we're all really fired up for the regional.

(On the USC pitching staff) (Steve) Smyth and (Rik) Currier have really come around in the last month. They'll be our three and four starters. The staff has really shaped up recently. The hitters have been sharp as well.

(On playing at home) We don't have a home-field advantage like LSU. But we're comfortable here. We know the ins and outs and the playing surface.

(On what he was told about last year's national championship) I expected to hear a lot about last year. It was such a huge thing. But I only heard this and that Lane's grand slam in the championship, Etherton pitching against Clemson, and so on. It's a good thing that guys haven't dwelled on it. They're not living in the past. What we did last year won't win us a regional this year.

VCU COACH PAUL KEYES

(On playing USC) I like the matchup. They know us and we know them. After what happened in the regional last year, it gives them incentive not to take us lightly. But the teams are different. We've lost players and they've lost players. It's a different year.

(On the new NCAA baseball format) I think it gives the underdog the better chance because you don't need the pitching depth as much to win it. On the other hand, the super-regional will be tougher. But I like the format. We should have had 64 teams a long time ago.

(On Trojan catcher Eric Munson) When looking at USC, you start with Munson. He's the kind of guy where you say, "Here's your four walks and see you tomorrow."

(On playing in California) It's a good chance for our kids to come out and see West Coast baseball. The experience will help them develop.

VCU SENIOR FIRST BASEMAN JAKE ANTHONY

(On last year) Last year was a different team. When we played USC last year we hit the ball well and I think that will be the key here. We're going to need one of our pitchers to step up and have a great game like Berryman did for us last year. We are probably more familiar with their team than they are with ours, due to national recognition, but that's not going to change our approach to the game.

PEPPERDINE COACH FRANK SANCHEZ

(On his team's enthusiasm) We have the same enthusiasm today that we did the opening day. That's unique. Very few teams are out there every day chomping at the bit, ready to go. This team is.

(On proving prognosticators wrong) We won't prove anybody right or wrong until the season's over.

PEPPERDINE SENIOR THIRD BASEMAN G.J. RAYMUNDO

(On the team's frame of mind) We're ready to go. We're recuperated. I think we're capable of winning this.

(On whether Pepperdine was underrated at the beginning of the season) Coming into the season we had to pass a lot of teams to get where we are. We beat a lot of good teams to get here. We deserve the No. 1 seed.

(On being in the playoffs) We know more is at stake now. But we'll have the same mentality that we had in the regular season. We're all reaching for the same thing. We'll just take it game by game.

HARVARD COACH JOE WALSH

(On Northeast baseball) The best ballclubs should go (to the tournament). You can start looking at the Northeast or the Southeast or the East or whatever, they're still just ballclubs. I think we'd be a pretty tough West Coast club. Baseball is baseball. Weather is a factor, but that's it. On February 1 when some teams are playing, we're in the gym and we get a later start. The only difference is the weather.

The last two years we had some injuries to overcome. One thing we can't overcome is that we don't have scholarships. There's a cost factor with tuition. We have kids that work hard during the school year, and hold down a couple of jobs. I think it gives them an incentive to play the schools that have scholarships.

HARVARD SENIOR THIRD BASEMAN HAL CAREY

(On Northeast baseball) I agree that the best teams are in California and Florida. But when we went down for spring break, we beat Oklahoma State and we lost two to Ohio State that we should have won. We know we can play with these teams.

(On winning some games at the regionals the last two years) The last two years were satisying because we won a couple games. But this year we're coming into it to win. We feel like we can beat any team. On any given day, if we get pitching, hitting and defense, we can beat any team here.

(On being the No. 4 seed) I'm not arguing that we shouldn't be the 4 seed. At 28-18, we lost some games we should have won. These teams are probably better, but we can beat them. We played a good schedule.