WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL B - CHINA VS AUSTRALIA

March 11, 2023

Dave Nilsson

Rixon Wingrove

Kyle Glogoski

Tokyo Dome

Team Australia

Postgame Press Conference

Australia 12, China 2

DEAN TREANOR: Today was a great game. Kyle started out, gave us a good three innings, 2-2 thirds, and really just settled down and got through his nerves, and the first inning we had the big hit from Rixon here.

Both these guys here have a big future in these tournament plays and it was great to see them both come through.

KYLE GLOGOSKI: Yeah, it was all right. Came off out of the bullpen and still trying to find my grips and trying to get things to move the way I want them to. Some days, it's just about figuring out how to get guys out and today I was able to do that with the stuff that I had. So put up some zeros, so I'm happy with it.

RIXON WINGROVE: The boys are just going out there trying to have quality at-bats out there all day and the pitchers keep throwing strikes. That's all we can ask for. At the end of the day we are trying to put up as many runs as we can and go out and compete against anybody who we play against.

Q. (No translation.)

DAVE NILSSON: I'm not really worried about tomorrow. I'm just going to enjoy today's win. Obviously everybody knows who Team Japan is and they know they have a lot of good players. I'll go home and have a good dinner tonight, spend some time with my family and then after that, I'll start thinking about tomorrow.

KYLE GLOGOSKI: Yeah, like ding oh said, we've just come off a win and we have good momentum behind us. But we'll just try and enjoy the win right now, stay in the present moment and when tomorrow comes, we'll be ready to take them on.

RIXON WINGROVE: Just going to enjoy the moment at this point. We are happy where we're at and every game that we try and go into, we try and win. So we'll come across that bridge when we come to it and hopefully come we can come out and get another W.

Q. What is your plan for Team Japan?

DAVE NILSSON: As I said, I haven't really thought about it too much. I know they are a great team. They are the best team in the world. I will relax tonight but right now my plan is to beat them by at least one run.

KYLE GLOGOSKI: Same again, every game we are trying to go out and win. We are not taking any game for granted. If we can go out there and do what we did today, put up zeros where we need to and score a lot of runs, I'm sure we'll come away with a great result.

RIXON WINGROVE: We are out there to try and win every game we can. Tomorrow we'll go out on the field and keep trying to do our thing as a team and we'll see what happens.

Q. (No translation.)

DAVE NILSSON: Well, it's the first time Team Australia has won two wins in a World Baseball Classic, and that's something we don't want to ignore. We acknowledged that after the game.

As a group we really want to try to achieve more and achieve bigger things and get more wins, and without ignoring the moment. It was a great moment and we all enjoyed it.

Q. (No translation.)

DAVE NILSSON: At this stage, no, I was really pleased with the effort. Really pleased with the preparation of the players, and as a manager, that's all I can really ask for. They are the ones that go and play, and been really -- the preparation has just been fantastic. I'm sure that they will prepare the same way tomorrow when they wake up in the morning but right now, we're just not in that space.

Q. I wanted to ask about Coen Wynne, he's the newest member of the team and you brought him into the game in sort of the biggest situation. How big was that for him, how is he feeling and can you tell me about the fate that you put in him in that situation?

DAVE NILSSON: Well, Coen has only been in Japan two days. It was a great effort. Kudos to him. Preparing in Australia, he threw 18 I think the previous Sunday. He put himself in that position. He had some international play previously in the 2023 World Cup, so I had a good feel for his make up and his mindset.

But without a doubt that was his biggest moment so far and to come through like he did, we really need him to do it and that's a great building block for him. I'm pleased for him personally and as a team, pretty big moment for us.

Q. (No translation.)

DAVE NILSSON: I'm very sorry, I don't know. I haven't spoke to my coaches yet. Wish I could give you an answer. We'll discuss it tonight but what I do know is every one of my pitchers is ready, so whoever I call on, they will be prepared to go.

Q. (No translation.)

DAVE NILSSON: Yeah, I think for everyone back in Australia, baseball in Australia doesn't get this publicity very often.

So for us to now be on the world stage, having success, and other countries around the world reporting on us and following us, it's only going to work well back home and hopefully more kids will be inspired and the game will continue to grow through this.

Yes, it's been a wonderful moment and to be under this microscope we're under with everyone following us, it's been good to see the guys playing well.

Q. What would 12-year-old Rixon Wingrove say in country New South Wales if someone just walked up to you and said, hey, in ten years, "Buddy, you're going to have four RBIs in a World Baseball Classic game to get Australia a 2-0 record"?

DAVE NILSSON: He would have said, "Absolutely!"

RIXON WINGROVE: Knowing 12-year-old me, no one would ask me, one, you had five -- that age, I started playing at about 11 years old so it was something that you start looking up at the older guys that you get to be around now.

And yeah, it's something surreal but it's something that I knew that I wanted to do and something that I wanted to help the team win, like when we go away and it's something that we always looked forward to doing and to be a part of it, it's pretty special.