2021 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 22, 2021

Tanner Witt

Texas Longhorns

Postgame Press Conference

Texas - 8, Tennessee - 4

Q. At this point it's survive and advance and live to see another day. You did exactly that today. How confident is this team as you move on to Thursday and another elimination game?

TANNER WITT: It's great. Offense really picked us up there. Had a big game. Kind of broke open. And my job's just to give our team the best chance to win. And I just went out there -- and it could have been the end of the season, but I don't want it to be the end of the season.

I love these guys too much. And I was just trying to do everything I could for them.

Q. How much has that change-up usage helped you get you through a lineup multiple times, especially attacking lefties? And did you get tired at any point; career high in innings, career high in pitching? Or does the adrenaline keep you going in pulling you through?

TANNER WITT: The adrenaline definitely helps. It's a big atmosphere. But I'm just trying to do anything I can to keep myself, keep our team in the game.

And, yeah, that change-up was big. It's been big this whole season. I've been trying to build it up. It was comfortable out there. I was throwing it well.

And, again, I'm just trying to do anything I can to give our team the best chance to win. I'm going to go out there and do anything I can.

Q. Can you just explain what you saw on both those double-play balls, and how big they were for your outing today?

TANNER WITT: They've been huge all season, the defense. I think we got one of the best defenses in the country and they showed it today. Every day they come out. They put the work in and it shows in the games.

And our pitchers, I know I love it. They have a lot of energy. And we feed off that. And it's big.

Q. You just don't show any nerves at all. Can you describe the emotions you're feeling? Do you even know you're pitching in the College World Series as poised as you seem?

TANNER WITT: Definitely. But I live for this moment. This is the moment I've always dreamed for. I love that big stage, big atmosphere. And I feel like I only get better in those situations because that's what I live for.

Q. When you got back to the dugout, did Tristan tell you anything going forward? And how did you stay loose during that big fourth inning with Silas and the bats coming through to be able to pick up the lead?

TANNER WITT: He said, way to pick me up. And that's part of baseball, just picking your teammates up. And my job's -- I'm a bullpen guy, so I'm just doing my best to keep my team in the game. And he told me great job, way to get out of that. And I told him I'm going to keep going for him and everybody else on the team.

It was a long inning, but it's a good inning because we're on the good side of it. We scored a lot of runs. I like it.

Q. What was the conversation like at the hotel last night? I know you guys wanted to avoid checkout day on Wednesday, and now you're going to get to stick around for a while. What were those conversations like?

TANNER WITT: A lot of belief in our teammates, a lot of belief in each other, we've done it all season. We've faced adversity a lot this year. We've responded really well all year. And we're just going to continue to do that. Just have a good mind and just have fun.

We're our best when we have fun. We're a loose, young team and we like to have fun, so we'll keep doing that.

Q. This is obviously your longest outing with Texas. Just curious what you were thinking as you were getting deeper into it. And at any point did you tell the coaches I don't want to be taken out; I want to finish this thing?

TANNER WITT: I wanted it the whole time. I felt like I only got better and better and felt better and better throughout the game. I felt my best stuff was later in my outing and that's big.

I just wanted to do whatever I could, again, just to keep my team in the game. And it's survival. It's elimination games. You've got to do whatever you can for your team to win. That's all I was trying to do. I wasn't focused on how long I was going or how short I was going; I wanted to get in there, keep my team in the game.

Q. You're obviously a little biased, but Eric just said that he believes Silas is the best catcher in the country. Wondering what you think about your guy, what you think about No. 4 back there?

TANNER WITT: 100 percent. I'll go to war any day with that guy. I love that guy. He's been huge for us behind the plate, made a huge play today. It could have been the difference in the game right there. That could have broken it open for them, but he made a great play, picked up Cam there. It was huge. He's been huge, huge all season for us and I'll go to war with him.