The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Postgame quotes
06.06.2010 | Baseball
June 6, 2010
TEXAS
Head Coach Augie Garrido
Opening statement: Rice came out, and they were ready to play after a tough day in the heat and still they were motivated, and they were competitive, and they were combative. If it had not been for Taylor Jungmann just really dominating the game with the help of his teammates behind him - Rice was just really ready to play. I did not get any sense of fatigue, letdowns, or give up in them at all. I really respect them for that. That is a very hard thing to do to try and come through that loser's bracket. Hats off to Rice for the way they played that game. Most importantly, from our side, Taylor was brilliant. He pitched his game. He got rid of all of the expectations, all of the assumptions that surrounded him all year, and he just pitched his game. It was absolutely brilliant. Chance did his thing when he came in, and the key defensive play was (Jordan) Etier's play over the middle to get the third out in the eighth inning. It was terrific. It has been a tough season for him at the plate and tonight he stole an important base for us, and he made a dramatic play. All year, despite his challenges at the plate, he has never given up defensively, and he has been a part of probably the best double play duo in the country. That is a lot harder to do when you are not hitting, and I admire and respect him for that. Russell (Moldenhauer) in his career here--this being his senior year--has always played his best baseball when it is about the Longhorns winning Championships. What you are seeing is a composite of teamwork, unselfishness, and just sticking to basic fundamentals. We came back from Oklahoma, and we had a lot of questions about that. There was some doubt as a result of it, and I think that helped us from this standpoint. Everybody on the team--coaches, players, support staff--committed to best effort. Every practice was good. Everything we did was good. Everything was together all week. Everybody made a best effort at every little thing we did, and it showed up, and it paid off. That is what baseball finally ends up being about--details, unselfishness, teamwork, picking each other up, and overcoming adversity.
RHP Taylor Jungmann
On what questions the team had after the Big 12 Championship: I do not think we worried about it at all. There really was not anything to think about. We forgot it as soon as we left.
On whether he performs better in pressure situations: I try not to do anything different in any game. I just try to go out there and do the same thing in every game. I try to get in a rhythm and try to hit some spots, and today I was able to do that.
DH Russell Moldenhauer
On his homerun tonight: Seems like this year, a lot of teams have really been busting the inside, and Rice has been one of them. After my not so good at bats my first two times up, I just went up there, relaxed because I was over-swinging on the fastballs that they threw me in my first two at bats. They gave me two hard fastballs inside that I was able to get the barrel on.
RICE
Head Coach Wayne Graham
Opening statement: Arguably we were up against the top starter and reliever in the country and that is a pretty tough task. I thought the pitch calling for Texas was excellent. They mixed pitches so well they made it really tough. I am proud of our guys coming from where we came from earlier in the year, really struggling because we had so many road games and playing ourselves out of hosting. I thought our guys did a really good job winning a championship and winning 40 games. I am really proud of them.
On Rice pitchers adjusting to Moldenhauer: Especially the second time. I think the first time they didn't throw the ball where they wanted and I didn't think the pitch was correct. I told Duffy he just can't put your finger down there and then you can throw what you want, but he is learning, he is just a freshman. We will talk about it and I bet he won't make the same mistake again.
On the play Texas 2B Etier made to close out the eighth: Every time I have seen him Etier seems to be a really outstanding fielder and that was excellent. I think the throw had to be picked up by Tant, too, so it was a good play all around. You never know if it gets through and next thing you know one guy gets on in front of Anthony and you have a chance.
On feeling like the Regional was almost lost on Friday: We were in trouble and you have to do what you have to do. Today in 95 degree heat on that FieldTurf, it is tough but we did recover well today. I thought our guys were ready to play.
IF Anthony Rendon
On Texas P Jungmann holding him 1-for-3 today: He is the number one pitcher in the nation and 1-for-3 is not bad if you look at it in a positive way. I thought I felt good against him and I thought I was seeing the ball pretty well.
On putting together a game plan against him having seen him earlier this year: There is always going to be an edge since we have seen him so many times. Once you see a guy more and more you are going to get used to him. I think we all felt comfortable against him but he was working in and out, both sides of the player and throwing the slider in the perfect position every time. He just beat us tonight.
C/IF Diego Seastrunk
On Texas P Jungmann: I thought he pitched better tonight. He was hitting the spots pretty well. He made a few mistakes, so it was tough. With a guy like that you just have to bear down and try and scrap out some hits because the majority of the time the better pitching is going to beat the better hitting, but you just have to try and find a way with a guy like that.
On adding the heat and the first game against the pitching by Jungmann: We recovered well and we played well earlier and there is no excuse. We were all ready to play that second game. He just beat us tonight, there is no question he just beat us.