NCAA Charlottesville Super Regional: Game 2 Quotes
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June 10, 2013
2013 NCAA Division I Baseball Super Regional • Game 2
June 9, 2013 • 7 p.m.
Mississippi State (48-18) vs. Virginia (50-12)
University of Virginia Quotes
Virginia Coach Brian O’Connor
Opening Statement:
“I would first like to congratulate Mississippi State. They certainly earned it this weekend; they beat us. They have a very nice ball club with a veteran team that knows what it’s doing. They earned the title this weekend and earned the right to move on. That being said I’m very proud of our club. The ninth inning rally did not surprise me at all. That has been consistent with our team all year long. I’m just disappointed that we didn’t get a chance to play one more ball game. I’m really proud of Kyle Crockett coming back today. Obviously it was a very difficult loss and we are very disappointed we didn’t have another chance to play.”
On the way the team played:
“It is really difficult. I would never say that I am disappointed in a team and I am not disappointed in this ball club at all. It is frustrating though. This can happen and we have been in this scenario before where we haven’t played our best baseball and that is typically what happens when a team doesn’t play up to their ability. That is in no disrespect to Mississippi State. Part of the reason we didn’t play well is because of Mississippi State. They are an action type of team offensively. They put pressure on you. I love their bullpen. We have played some difficult bullpens this year and Mississippi State is up there- if not the best we have seen all year. Certainly, we’re disappointed that we didn’t get a chance to advance on.”
On the takeaway from this season:
“I will take a lot away. I’ll take away that there are enormous expectations in this program and we love that. I will take away that I know what our players are about, who they are, as people and as players. The bounce back that we have showed all year long is really impressive the fight of those guys who come back and battle. I think of Scott Silverstein and his career, what that kid has had to endure over these past five years and it is impressive. I’m thankful for our program. This program is here to stay and we look forward to the next opportunity that we are in this situation.”
On Branden Cogswell:
“I feel so bad for Branden Cogswell. Injuries are part of the game. This kid is a competitor and was consistent all year long but didn’t have a chance to play in NCAA play. I will tell you that when he hurt himself that there could be a chance he could come back for a regional game but realistically I thought it might not be until Omaha, if we were in that position. He was ready to play this weekend. He was healthy enough to play this weekend. I made the decision not to play him because it had been five or six weeks since he had taken a live at bat. He started taking live at bats this week and that is a long period of time not to see live pitches. Even though he told me he was ready I was not 100% that it would be consistent from a throwing standpoint. I know he is disappointed that we didn’t put him in.”
Virginia Pitcher Kyle Crockett
On pitching today:
“I always want the ball. As long as they trust me to go out there I will go out there and do my best.”
Virginia Catcher Nate Irving
On the errors:
“I think some of the credit has to be given to Mississippi state. They put pressure on us all weekend. They put balls in play and made some good plays.”
On his class and experience:
“It’s not about our class, it’s about this year’s team. Nothing will ever be about one class or one person or one play. It will always be about the team. I’m really disappointed for Scott, Jared and Reed, who played their last game tonight but it is about the team as a whole.”
On the teams’ accomplishments:
“Things unfortunately didn’t go our way in the end, but we did some really amazing things this year. I think the final innings we played here today are symbolic of how our year has gone. We never back down from a fight or challenge and that’s something that we will carry with us. That is also something that this club takes pride in. I’m proud of my teammates for what we have accomplished this year.”
On Mississippi State:
“We played some amazing teams and Mississippi State was a great team. They were aggressive in the box and they took aggressive swings. They kept their cool when they needed to. They did what they needed to and got the job done.”
Mississippi State Head Coach John Cohen
Opening Statement:
“First of all, it goes without say that Virginia is an outstanding club. Today I found that Virginia’s RPI is 2 in the country. They are a really good club. They have phenomenal at bats, they have young, talented pitching and those will bode well for the future. Almost everything we expected out of them came to fruition, even in the last at bat of the game. We knew they were going to run us a little bit. But I’m so proud of our guys. It’s so easy after the 3-1 feed that didn’t work out to think that the world is going against us. But he had tremendous composure, as do all of these guys. That’s how we won 48 ball games. The thing I’m most proud of is that we want to win the whole thing. We don’t see this as a job finished. It’s a nice short award, but we have to prepare for seven of the best clubs in the country. “
On possible benefit of playing on the road:
“I think our kids are very loose, the bench players are extremely selfless. They are all in. It’s hard to find that. Especially with 18-22 year olds who are used to being the star. We have pieced it together. It works because we all work together. I think Butch has been able to get that out of our pitching staff especially.”
On 9th inning:
“We have gone over 3-1 feeds a bazallion times. When I saw that ball hit his glove, I was thinking `this is impossible.’ You have to take a deep breath and you have to discuss it, put it behind you, and realize what is important now. Certainly our kids did that. Not many kids can do that, but our kids did.”
Pitcher Jonathan Holder
On finishing out the 9th:
“I’m taught to be relaxed on every pitch. Some stuff didn’t go my way like on that 3-1 feed. It’s easy to give up and throw the towel in. But I tried to take the sting out of the bats and push through it.”
On 3-1 feed in the 9th:
“It takes a bit to get moving and I got going full speed. Feed was good. I looked down at the bag and had to move right and looked up and the ball was coming. My feet came out from under me.”
Shortstop Adam Frazier:
On the feeling when he knew Holder was coming into the game:
“We felt good about our chances. Even in the 9th after everything, we still felt pretty good. There was a dangerous hitter at the plate. Even with a runner on third, we still felt pretty comfortable.”
On 9th inning panic:
“There wasn’t really any panic. That might be the first time that happened all year. But to win the thing, you have to get the last guy out and that is what we did.”