TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos talked with the media about performances he’s seen the past two days, as well as what the Frogs need to do on Sunday to get the sweep against UCLA.
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00:00 >> You took the series tonight, it was a close one again.
00:04 Talk us through those later innings when Curtis hit the home run and
00:08 then UCLA tried to make a little bit of a comeback there.
00:11 >> Well, you knew they weren't gonna go away.
00:13 So I thought the key thing was getting the right guys in on the mound at
00:17 the right times.
00:18 But then also, Maxwell push button, getting a base hit out of it.
00:24 And then you follow that up with Curtis hitting a home run at dead center field.
00:28 I thought that was huge.
00:29 But the cool thing is you give guys opportunities,
00:33 like Chase Hoover really hasn't been in that situation before.
00:37 Late in, you get a save like that, and you ended up executing like you wanted to.
00:42 And again, Zach Collier, back to back nights,
00:44 which is good to see in terms of we're trying to, what's the recipe?
00:48 And so to know that he can come back and go back to back nights.
00:52 Ben Abel was off, so we weren't gonna bring him in with 30 pitches,
00:56 14 of it to the one guy.
00:58 So we weren't gonna use him at all.
01:00 He had his flats on, and so he'll be ready tomorrow.
01:03 But I thought the cool thing is they play a lot of matchup.
01:08 And to kind of be able to try and offset that by being able to go.
01:14 I thought the name of the game for me was Cole was way better this week than he was
01:18 last week.
01:19 So I thought the mechanical changes that he made were really significant.
01:24 But I thought Braden Sloan through the middle part of the game was a huge,
01:27 huge difference maker in terms of giving us momentum, keeping momentum.
01:33 Cuz it's a chance, we get a 6-1 lead chance for them to come back.
01:36 So and then Zach and then Hoove getting it done.
01:40 So it was another, we thought it was gonna be a really great game and it wasn't.
01:44 >> Whenever you're trying to go through those pitching changes,
01:47 deciding who to bring in, how much is in the back of your mind?
01:50 You're in the middle of an eight game and ten game, or ten game.
01:53 >> Nothing, zero, cuz you gotta win the game that's ahead of you that you're
01:58 playing in and worry about those other ones.
02:01 When they come, you gotta really focus on winning each pitch of the game that you're
02:05 in, so yeah, it doesn't really come in at all.
02:08 >> Defensively, it looks like the Fox has been a lot stronger this weekend.
02:12 Just how impressed have you been or
02:14 have you seen good improvement on that side of things?
02:17 >> Yeah, and I think it comes with what the pitching's done.
02:20 In terms of in the strike zone more,
02:23 I think when defenses, they get a little bit asleep when you're not in the strike
02:27 zone a lot or the leadoff hitter gets on.
02:29 And next thing you know, the defense is on their heels a little bit, but
02:31 I think the defense is on their toes because of the way the pitching has done
02:35 a good job.
02:35 I know we walked four yesterday, I'm not sure how many we walked today.
02:39 We only walked one today or two.
02:41 So I think you have better defense when you're not walking people and
02:45 you're in a little bit better rhythm.
02:47 So, and then conversely, I think with the pitching,
02:50 it makes you pitch better because your defense has got you behind.
02:54 So, yeah.
02:57 >> Games like today, you said you talked about UCLA and
03:00 their big matchup team.
03:01 Does it kind of give it a regional feel to it?
03:04 >> I do. I mean, you don't really see that a lot, but
03:08 I feel like that's a team that you can see in Omaha, for sure.
03:11 Because it's a young group that's still figuring out who to plug in and
03:16 play where and when.
03:17 So I think when you get a group like that, that gets a little bit more,
03:20 kind of like what we went through a little bit last year.
03:22 You get a lot of young guys in key spots.
03:25 And as they grow up, they're gonna continue to get better in those situations.
03:29 And like I said, super, super talented team.
03:32 So when you have an opportunity to play someone like that early in the season,
03:36 it's great.
03:39 >> Obviously, huge getting the series win tonight.
03:41 What's your message to the team tonight or
03:44 tomorrow morning to kind of keep them locked in to try and get a sweep tomorrow?
03:47 >> Well, the good thing is that I think we've said it all along is,
03:51 that's now done.
03:52 So you have to have an O and O mentality when you show up for
03:55 breakfast at 9 AM tomorrow.
03:57 And have the mindset of like you're O and 2 almost, to be honest with you.
04:02 You're fighting and scratching to get a win.
04:04 And that's how you have to play all the time.
04:07 If you feel like you got two wins and you can take a break,
04:10 that's when you get your brain speed in.
04:12 So this group has done a really good job in terms of,
04:15 we come in here and break down the previous game.
04:18 Like tomorrow we'll do that after breakfast.
04:20 And as soon as that meeting is over, that game is finished.
04:23 And so the big thing is you have to come with that mentality.
04:29 Cuz anybody, if you watch college baseball across the country,
04:32 there's anybody can beat anybody if that team doesn't show up.
04:36 And so that's our goal is to not beat ourselves,
04:41 just to show up every single day and give some great opportunity to win.
04:43 >> What's the message to Zach tomorrow?
04:46 >> More just for him, he's seen Peyton do it, he's seen Cleck do it.
04:50 In terms of just take a step forward, take a step forward each and
04:53 every outing, and I'm excited to watch Zach pitch for sure.
04:58 >> You talk about speaking of taking a step forward,
05:00 you talk about Braden Sloan.
05:02 >> Yeah, I mean, the cool thing about Braden is it's a tough at bat,
05:04 whether you're right handed or left handed.
05:06 Because he's got a lot of knees and elbows, and
05:08 it's kinda coming all over the place, and it's an up-tempo delivery.
05:11 And the good thing about Braden is the fact that you know what you're gonna get
05:15 from a competitive standpoint.
05:16 And you can put your head on the pillow at night knowing that he's gonna give his
05:20 best effort from a competitive standpoint.
05:23 And he had the curveball going, the slider going, the change up, and
05:27 the fastball when he needed to.
05:29 So like I said, his line, you wake up in the morning,
05:32 if anybody reads newspapers anymore, two and two thirds, three hits, two runs.
05:36 People might not think, hey, what a great outing.
05:39 But for me, I thought it was an awesome outing,
05:43 in terms of what he can do for us to help complement Ben Abel.
05:48 A guy that, last night you saw us bring Ben in in the eighth.
05:52 And he's just gonna get more opportunities because he deserves it and
05:55 he's earned it.
05:56 >> Speaking of Ben, I know he wasn't available tonight.
05:59 Do you have a sense of whether or not he'd be available tomorrow?
06:01 >> Yeah, he'll be available tomorrow.
06:02 He'll probably fight me if I said he wasn't, so.
06:05 >> Today you had Peyton the day off.
06:08 >> Mm-hm. >> Would you like out of Jack?
06:10 >> Well, the cool thing is, when you don't get consistent in that bat,
06:15 it's like he hasn't so far.
06:17 I thought he took as good a swings as anybody today.
06:20 Almost hit a home run, line drive up the middle on a base hit.
06:23 I thought he was on the baseball the whole time and
06:26 had some really good takes in there too.
06:28 And that was part of, we wanted to give Peyton a little bit of a break coming off
06:31 Friday night, just let him reset just a little bit from a physical standpoint.
06:38 And because it's early in the season, and we need that guy the whole year.
06:42 And so it's taxing as a two way player.
06:45 So we decided with Jack, Jack does really well against right handed pitching.
06:50 So we thought it was a great opportunity to get him in there.
06:52 Cuz we're looking for guys to be able to get in and get some at bats.
06:56 With that DH spot kinda locked up with Peyton, it makes it a little bit
07:00 difficult, but I thought he did a great job.
07:02 >> Do you think there's an opportunity to get him some at bats tomorrow?
07:04 >> We'll see.
07:06 >> How have you liked the mix of Curtis and
07:10 Carson going back and forth between catcher and first?
07:12 >> I think it's great just because you keep both bats in.
07:15 I thought Curtis might not have gotten a hit.
07:17 Did he get a hit today?
07:18 I mean, Carson, not Curtis, happens often.
07:21 Carson went 0 for 4, but I thought he hit the ball in terms of,
07:25 when he's lining out the right field, it's a good sign.
07:28 And so eventually those won't be directly at the right fielder.
07:31 So it's great to get those two guys in the lineup.
07:34 And anytime someone could bang down the center field,
07:38 batter's eyes, that was a big hit in the game for sure.
07:43 >> Offensively, you helped him really good.
07:45 How much do you think the new batter's eye has played a part of that
07:48 to start the year?
07:50 >> I don't know.
07:51 >> I like it. >> Logan?
07:52 >> I like it. >> Logan likes it.
07:53 I think it's better than what it was.
07:55 You play under the lights and cars are driving back on Bel Air.
08:00 And I never had to stand in and face 95 with some car lights looking at me.
08:07 So I think from that perspective, I think they're picking up the ball a lot better.
08:11 And this ballpark can play a pitcher-friendly ballpark a lot of times.
08:16 And so when you can give the offense an opportunity to get a little bit more
08:21 even playing field, I think it's great.
08:22 And I think it actually makes the ballpark look a lot better in terms of
08:27 a ballpark with a batter's eye.
08:30 And I think the center field camera up in that corner, I think, makes it for
08:33 people that aren't able to come to the stadium a really good view from ESPN Plus.
08:38 >> Hey, Losa, just to, Brody Green is a new name for me.
08:43 >> Yeah. >> Obviously,
08:44 being the third baseman around here the last three years has been not-
08:46 >> Yeah, for like the last 15 years,
08:48 Carpenter and Witte.
08:50 >> So who is he, he's been really big in the series.
08:52 >> Yeah, well, he actually did that the whole fall.
08:55 He was probably our best hitter in the fall.
08:58 And when we came back, just wasn't quite the same guy, but
09:02 was always gonna factor into our plans at the very least from a defensive standpoint.
09:07 Cuz he can play third, short, second, and first.
09:10 And it was just a matter of time until he got his opportunity and
09:12 then make the most of it.
09:13 Cuz ultimately, the players are at the lineup, and
09:19 he got in the game, and he's taken really good at bats,
09:23 kind of what we saw in the fall.
09:24 And I think it's really good to see, because a lot of times in college baseball,
09:27 you don't get guys in their junior year that haven't played a ton their freshman and
09:31 sophomore year.
09:32 Usually, they're not at your program your junior year.
09:34 And he's just kept plucking away, and now he's gotten his opportunity.
09:37 And like you said, he's been behind a couple guys,
09:40 some All-Americans in front of him.
09:41 And now he's making the most of it, and it's really neat to see.
09:44 >> Well, how about with Peyton, so like Florida with Cags,
09:47 they have that same issue.
09:48 Like there's no probably perfect answer,
09:50 where you have a player that has two enormous roles.
09:53 What's the calculus on Friday, or like they're doing Sunday, but
09:57 I don't think either is like a perfect answer.
09:59 Like when you say Friday for Peyton Tolley, what's the thought process there?
10:03 >> Well, I think he gives us a great opportunity to match up with other Friday
10:07 night starters.
10:09 A big guy from the left side, I think he leaves the country in extension in terms
10:12 of, so the ball's coming out a little bit hotter than what the radar again reads.
10:16 I think he gives us a great opportunity.
10:18 I don't think there is any right answer in terms of when to pitch him,
10:23 other than the fact that we feel good about him on Friday.
10:26 And then we have, starting yesterday, we had eight games in ten days.
10:31 So it's a matter of, okay, we gotta make sure we take care of that big 6'6",
10:34 250 frame.
10:35 >> All right, well done.
10:37 >> You bet, thanks.
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