MATT PURKE, tcu horned frogs

Last spring TCU was a single win away from earning their first trip to the College World Series, but an early five-run deficit to the vaunted Texas Longhorns in the final game of the Super Regionals proved to be too much to overcome. As the final out was made, seven valuable TCU seniors officially saw their collegiate careers come to an end. Yet, despite the substantial losses, the Horned Frogs haven't swayed from their goal of earning that elusive trip to Omaha .

This season could finally be the year TCU combines enough experience and talent to finally break through. A solid nucleus of position players returns in Taylor Featherstone (.322, 5, 28), Jason Coats (.316, 6, 32), Matt Curry (.315, 3, 31) and All Mountain West catcher Bryan Holaday (.300, 10, 48). The Frogs also added versatile New York Mets' draft pick junior Jerome Pena (Western Nevada CC), redshirt freshman Jantzen Witte, true freshman Kyle Von Tungeln and several others to help restock the offensive ranks.

The pitching staff should be the strength of the team as TCU returns 41 starts between Paul Gerrish (7-2, 3.84), Kyle Winkler (7-1, 4,15), Tyler Lockwood (4-2, 4.71) and Greg Holle (5-2, 3.89). The addition of closer Eric Marshall (2-2, 1.48, 9 saves) makes a deep and strong staff even more formidable.

Even with their depth, TCU managed to land one of the country's premier pitching prospects in Matt Purke. Purke was the 14th overall pick in the 2009 MLB amateur draft, but could not come to terms with the Texas Rangers. Two days after the deadline arrived, Purke was in Fort Worth, preparing for school with an orientation class and starting what could shape up to be a unprecedented stint at TCU.

Ping!Baseball was fortunate enough to get the freshman away from his busy schedule to talk about his decision to attend TCU, this year's squad, and how the Frogs aim to attain their goal of reaching Omaha in 2010.

Ping!Baseball: Most players faced with the situation you were in this past summer, of being drafted 14 th overall, would have decided to go pro. What were some of the determining factors that made you decide to go the college route?

Purke: I really like it here at TCU and I really fell in love with the program and the people that work here. It's a great place to be and I just felt that at this time it was best for me and my family to go ahead and go to college and be a part of TCU.

Ping!Baseball: That being said, the state of Texas and Houston specifically are both hotbeds for baseball. Why TCU as opposed to staying in the Houston area and going to Rice or Houston? Or even going to the University of Texas ?

Purke: I checked out all of the schools here in Texas and throughout the country. I found that this place was a very good place for players and were mostly all Texas kids on this team. I had never been to the Forth Worth area before and I just loved the area and the school. I really like what the coaching staff has done in recent years and the players and it's just a really good family atmosphere here.

Ping!Baseball: It's uncommon for such a high draft pick and high profile player to decide to attend college. How have your teammates responded and received you as part of the group?

Purke: It's been very good. I knew a lot of the guys before I came up here from either having played with them or against them, so I knew a lot of the guys coming in. We all have the same goal, to win a national championship. We all know what part we bring to table and we're just excited to put it all together.

Ping!Baseball: Adjusting to college life, being away about four hours away from home, school and practice; what's been the most challenging thing to adjust to?

Purke: Probably doing my laundry. No, really, just getting acclimated and everything. It was pretty quick for me, I actually had about two days after the (signing) deadline to get to school and get everything put together. So that was probably the hardest thing for me, just getting up here and getting used to everything. Practices and classes have gone really well though and I really enjoy them.

Ping!Baseball: TCU was one win away from the first ever trip to Omaha last year,. After losing seven seniors from that team what types of expectations have you guys set for yourselves as a team? What are your team goals?

Purke: Our goal, as in any year, is to be number one and to win a national championship. We don't expect anything less and we're working towards that every day. We lost a few guys from last year to the draft and graduation, but I think we have brought in some new guys that are hopefully going to be able to step into those shoes and fill them. I think we have a team together that will be able to achieve what we want to achieve.

Ping!Baseball: Is Coach Schlossnagle going to use you right off the bat as a weekend starter or is he maybe going to ease you into things with some mid-week starts and relief work?

Purke: Based off of the fall and a meeting I had with him, as of right now I am going to be in the weekend rotation... of course that is also based on how I do in the spring. I came in here and since day one I wanted to pitch on the weekends and be influential and I have worked toward that.

Ping!Baseball: Speaking of weekend starts, you guys open with 2009 Regional participant Sam Houston State and have three more opponents that earned regional bids last year on the schedule in the first month, including a trip to Cal State Fullerton for a weekend series and a game against Rice. How important is it for you personally and for the team to get off to a quick start against such a high level of competition?

Purke: It's very important. We have some good games scheduled early on in the season and if we can get off to a good start it will give us a lot of momentum heading into conference play and throughout the year. We're fortunate that we get to play those types of teams early on; it gives us a gauge of what we will have to see later on down the road in the post season.

Pingbasball: To date, what has been your most memorable moment on the diamond?

Purke: I would have to say winning a gold medal for Team USA down in Venezuela as a 15 year-old. That's been one of the best trips of my life; it's stuck with me. I have been fortunate enough to play for Team USA for a few summers and that very first year, to be able to win gold, was pretty special.

Ping!Baseball: You're pitching to battery mate and All-Conference catcher Bryan Holaday in an intersquad game: does he go yard on you, does he walk back to the dugout after being blown away by a 94 mph heater, or does he get one planted in his back?

Purke: It's the same game plan for me with everyone: my plan is for all of them to walk back to the dugout, so I guess that would fall under that category. If they go yard on me, well, the next time I'm gonna get em'.

Ping!Baseball: It's game three of the super regional and the Horned Frogs need one win to make that first trip to Omaha . Coach tells you you're taking the hill for the final and decisive game. What do you listen to on your iPod before the game to get pumped up?

Purke: A favorite of mine growing up has always been the old classic, Eye of the Tiger, from Rocky. I religiously listen to that before almost every game. It's just something I grabbed a hold of. My brother and I bought the Rocky set with all the episodes and it's just something that's always stuck with me.