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| Ping!Baseball Spotlight Interview
T.J. Baxter & Matt McKissick
University of New Orleans |
Consistently overshadowed by cross-town rival Tulane and
state powers LSU and Louisiana Lafayette, the University of
New Orleans Privateers have consistently put up good, if not
great, records year after year. In a game where a few lucky
bounces or bad breaks can change the tide of an entire season,
the Royal Blue and Silver have a legitimate chance of making
it back to Omaha and the College World Series for the first
time since 1984 when the upstart squad from The Big Easy defeated
North Carolina, South Carolina and Mississippi State to reach
the CWS, and then defeated Michigan to finish in fifth place.
 While
slugging sophomore second baseman Johnny Giavotella and All
Ping! Third Team pitcher Bryan Cryer have been the statistical
leaders of the Privateer attack, a big part of UNO’s
2007 success comes from junior third baseman T.J. Baxter and
senior relief hurler Matt McKissick. As of April 7th, Baxter
was second on the team with a .345 batting average and total
bases (5 2Bs, 4 3Bs and 8 homeruns). On Saturday, April 7th,
Baxter hit a bases-loaded RBI single with two outs in the
bottom of the 11th to UNO to a 5-4 win over South Alabama
on Saturday. McKissick had appeared in ten games, posting
a 1-1 record in relief with a 1.32 ERA. He’s only allowed
11 hits in 13.1 innings and has only given up a single extra
base hit. The pair recently sat down to answer a few questions
about playing baseball in Nawlins.
PING!: Like
the rest of New Orleans, the UNO campus suffered damage due
to
Hurricane Katrina. Where were you when the storm hit?
BAXTER: My roommate and I went to Houston
for three days and then went to Corpus Christi for four more
days. We stayed in hotels and others let us stay at their
house which was truly "southern hospitality." I
then flew back to New Jersey to be with my family for two
weeks until Coach Tom Walter figured out where we were going
to continue our semester. This led to New Mexico State University
taking us in for a whole semester without paying a dime.
McKISSICK: Coach Walter had a team meeting
with us and told us to pack a bag for the weekend. I went
to my teammate's house (Jarrod Ware) in Shreveport. My roommate
and I watched the Weather Channel all week. It was unreal
PING!: With
a few exceptions, the Privateers have consistently been a
strong ball club year after year, holding their own against
College World Series participant teams like LSU, Tulane and
Louisiana-Lafayette. How close is New Orleans to making it
back to Omaha for the CWS for the first time since 1984?
BAXTER: We are very close to coming back
to the College World Series. We have all the "ingredients"
and talent for us to get there. Our defense needs to step
it up a little more (including myself) and two-out RBIs are
crucial. But before all of that, our team truly needs to believe
that we can make it there.
McKISSICK: We are much more improved this
year. I really believe we are not that far away. Right now,
our goal is to win conference and get to an NCAA Regional.
But I think Omaha can happen.
PING!: With
college athletes becoming bigger and stronger coupled with
increasing aluminum bat technology, do you think that the
college ranks should switch to wood bats as a safety concern?
BAXTER: I do not believe college baseball
should switch to wooden bats because the game is more fun
and exciting for both the players and the fans. Aluminum bats
will forever stay in college baseball, and the game would
not be the same without it.
McKISSICK: I think they should switch to
wood. Not just for the safety of the pitchers, but for the
state of the game. Wood bats show a hitter's true ability.
It makes it really tough for the pitchers too. You always
hear about a pitcher getting hurt, and a lot of it is due
to aluminum bats.
 PING!:
Despite being in different conferences, would you consider
Tulane to be your biggest rival?
BAXTER: Tulane is definitely our biggest
rival because we both share the same city. For the most part,
we both recruit the same players. I would say so, especially
after the last game in which we won 14-2. They will be looking
for revenge, but it looks very grim considering our team's
concentration level.
McKISSICK: I would say so. Because of the
WOW Café Cup and Wingery Series, we play each other
three times a year, so we get very familiar with each other.
They are always ranked, and it's usually a really good series.
PING!: New Orleans is renown
for its cuisine. What is your favorite Nawlin's eatery and
dish?
BAXTER: My favorite New Orleans dish has
to be Jambalaya with chicken and sausage. I usually get this
at the Acme Oyster House in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
McKISSICK: I love the crawfish etouffe at
Acme Oyster House.
PING!: New
Orleans has a deep connection to voodoo. Have you ever tried
anything out of the ordinary to score runs, or have you just
gonna stick with rally caps?
BAXTER: I do not do anything as far as voodoo
goes, but we do use the rally caps because I am convinced
it has helped us in the past.
McKISSICK: You could make a long list with
me. I wear pre-wrap on top of my socks. I wear an Irish garter
on my left leg. After the national anthem, I pick a blade
of grass and say a prayer. The same person puts eye-black
on me. And don't touch the foul lines.
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