Posted 3/9/06
UW-Platteville's Nick Pepper is a senior first baseman from Sterling, Ill. He earned all-conference honors his first two years as a Pioneer and last year helped the team to its best season ever at 22-21 and third place in the conference tournament.
How exciting was it to have the best season in Platteville baseball history?
"It was very exciting. I had never been on a team that came that close. Everybody was like a family on that team. To come back from 1-10 in the conference to win 14 of our last 19 games was unbelievable. How we did it, with those come-from-behind-wins, made the season so much more exciting."
Did you notice a difference coming into this year?
"I think there is a kind of strange amount of confidence we have. It's not like cockiness, but we know our ability and what we can accomplish. It's just a matter of going out on the field and proving it, to ourselves and everybody else."
You've already been on the field four times already (the Pioneers are 2-2). Did you like playing games that early?
"I like it because we didn't have to wait and practice inside, wondering what we would be like once we get out there. It's nice to be able to be on the field and get to test our abilities. We can see what we can do early on and see what we need to improve upon so when we actually get into conference we are ready for those big games."
You are a two-time all-conference player who got hit on the hand last year with a pitch and never quite got into the flow of it. Now this year, you've started with eight hits in your first 17 at-bats. Do you feel you're back to the level you want to be at?
"There's always room for improvement. Right now I'm seeing the ball pretty well and have had some lucky hits here and there. That's part of baseball, but hopefully I can keep hitting the ball well. Our whole lineup is going to be strong hitting-wise this year."
You are without a home field this year (as the new track took away left field, and the new baseball field will not be ready until the 2007 season). Will playing 40 games on the road be a distraction or have you guys been able to look beyond that?
"I don't think it will be a distraction. It just adds to the excitement, I guess, of what we're trying to accomplish here. It makes it a little more difficult because when we do start practicing outside we'll only have half a field, but I don't think it will be a problem for us. We can still travel on the road and win games."
You're a senior business major. What does the future hold for you?
"This summer I have an internship with the Quad City Swing, which is a single-A minor league team. I'd love to be able to do something like that after I graduate (in December). I'd love to work in baseball or sports. If I can't still play the game anymore, I want to work in it."
Interview by SID Paul Erickson