2021 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 18, 2021

Branden Boissiere

Arizona Wildcats

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by Branden Boissiere from Arizona. We'll start with questions.

Q. Your teammate Donta' Williams plays hard all the time, whether he's grinding out, running around the bases, sacrificing his body. What kind of an influence does that have on the rest of the team?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: He teaches us to play hard every day because he's obviously our leadoff batter. We know that he's going to really give us all he's got. It just shows us that he's willing to play hard for us, so it makes us play hard for him.

Q. I'm sure you've had plenty of time to study Vanderbilt's top two starters. What have you seen on video? What is your scouting report?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: Yeah, I mean, they're going to attack the zone well. They're really good pitchers. They throw all their pitches for strikes. We've been watching a lot of video trying to incorporate into our practices. I feel like we're ready for what they have in store for us.

Q. A few minutes ago Jay was talking about how the lineup only matters as far as where you are, a spot in the lineup, that your work changes depending on where you are, what inning. You've been in a couple different spots this year. How do you take that approach differently depending on the at-bat or is it not different?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: For me I feel like it's not different. I'm just doing everything I can to try to help the team win, do my part. Wherever I am in the lineup, I don't look at it too differently.

It's only at the beginning of the game where you're batting seventh. In the fifth inning you could be batting first to lead off the inning. I don't really look at it any differently. I feel like I just do whatever I can to help the team win.

Q. Do you think that's why the lineup is as strong as it is, that you can move people around, it doesn't lessen in any way?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: Yeah, for sure. I feel like we're so versatile one through nine in the lineup, anyone can move anywhere. Donta' can bat leadoff, also in the nine hole. I feel like we have a lot of guys on the bench that can do a great job for us and help us win games.

Q. Did you ever growing up watch college baseball, see Vanderbilt play, how good of a program they were?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: Yeah, I mean, obviously we all saw it. They're a really good program, really good baseball school. I grew up watching them on TV here, play here at College World Series. I also grew up watching Arizona play here, too.

It will be a really good game tomorrow night. A good team in the other dugout. But we're well-prepared.

Q. What does it mean to you to not only be playing with such a great program at Arizona, but open the College World Series against the defending champions?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: It's awesome. We're up for any challenge. Obviously I think we have a really good team, a really good offense. Our pitching staff has done a good job for us this year as well.

I think it's going to be a really good game tomorrow night. They have a really good program over there, so it's going to be a real challenge for us. But I think if we stick to our plan, stick to our game, it will be really good.

Q. In the last game against Ole Miss, you and Jacob Berry started to explode. Would you say it was great to have such a big game like that knowing that momentum would carry your team into the College World Series?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: For sure. A lot of our guys in the lineup got going that weekend. Carrying that into this weekend is huge for us, especially with the College World Series and a national championship on the line.

I think it was huge for our confidence going into this weekend.

Q. How do you and your teammates sort of prepare for this moment, if over the course of the last couple days -- I'm sure it's been fun just being in Omaha, it's a goal to get here. How have you tried to get yourself mentally ready to be at your best?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: What our coaches told us was just to have fun. When we're not playing baseball, enjoy our time here. But when we're on the field, it's our time to be focused, do the task at hand. I think we've done a really good job of separating that. When we're practicing, we're where our feet are, we're present with everything we do. I feel like we've done a really good job separating the having fun part here in Omaha and the serious part, which is on the baseball field.

Q. What has been the coolest part of the experience here so far?

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: Honestly, it was pretty cool to have the police escort us to the field back and forth. I've never had that before. I thought that was pretty awesome. Also just hanging around everyone, being with my teammates here, experiencing TD Ameritrade Park is pretty awesome.

It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I'm trying to take in everything that I can.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks so much for your time. We appreciate you joining us today.

BRANDEN BOISSIERE: Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.