Coaches and players from both teams were quick to admit how much they felt the pressure of winning the first game, particularly the head coaches in their handling of the bullpens.
"The first game is important to both teams, so if you lose, you want to lose with your best guys on the mound," Baylor head coach Steve Smith said.
TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle said his decision to bring in closer Sam Demel in the seventh inning was the most difficult decision of the day. Demel blew the save but eventually got the win.
"We certainly spent a lot this game to win," Schlossnagle said. "I fired my bullet early when we had the lead. You've got to survive and advance."
Naturally, the starting pitchers were the recipients of many compliments. Of Mandel, Smith said, "His outing in Oklahoma City was probably the best I've ever seen him throw, but today was very close. He pitched extremely well. The only balls they hit, really, left the yard."
The teams had conflicting accounts of the final at-bat, when Demel was able to strike out Ben Booker. The Bears swear Demel was throwing nothing but sliders, but Demel and catcher Andrew Walker identified the pitches as change-ups. Either way, Demel said he was relieved to get several Bear hitters chasing pitches out of the strike zone. TCU catcher Andrew Walker said he cramped up on his home run and expects to play tomorrow.
Smith had the day's driest answers, opening with "Very close game. Well-played game. TCU won." Later, when shortstop Beamer Weems was asked what it would take to win the regional, Smith flipped over his boxscore and began determinedly writing on the back. When asked to name tomorrow's starting pitcher, Smith replied, "That's what I was just doing, figuring out who was going to pitch when." The answer, however, will depend mostly on the result of the upcoming nightcap between No. 2 Rice and Prairie View A&M.