The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
03.18.2014 | Baseball
Quotes from head coach Augie Garrido
Head coach Augie Garrido
On the team's performance in tonight's win: I think the first thing that jumped out at me was the fact we didn't come in with a hangover from Sunday. [The team was] upbeat and ready to play. they got good jumps on defense, which is usually a tell-tell sign of when they are not focused. The 3-6-1 double play [first baseman to the shortstop to the pitcher], the other two double plays were on time and sharp, [we had] good rhythm, good timing, and good pace on everything. Offensively we got the leadoff hitter on, got some bunts down, and played our game offensively. The scope of our offensive game is good enough to beat anybody, but we have got to execute. Anytime we have executed at a level of average, we have done well, because the pitching and the defense is that good. So, I thought we did that tonight. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, [we need to] get every bunt down every time, but they have to keep trying even if they are failing, to get the confidence and find the confidence later down the road, so that any time we want to punish the defense for the way they are lined up we can attack it it with that.
On beating a good Dallas Baptist team: Yes, they are very good. We also had some very well hit balls with two outs that were going to score runs. So, we took some of our better at bats with runners in scoring position tonight, and that's the way the team functioned earlier in the year as well. So I thought, coming off what happened on the weekend, put that together with the way they reverted back to the when they were playing best, with a clear mind, aggressive, and confident, was a huge turnaround for a team to do. So, I was very pleased with tonight. [Lukas} Schiraldi was really good, and the team behind him functioned very well.
On responding well to adversity from the weekend: You are going to be in that position in this game. The parity in college baseball is just controlled by a number of things that really just don't allow you to get so much better than anyone else anymore. The 11.7 scholarships, the 20-hour work week, just so many things … there is real parity.
I am real proud of the attitude today. Like I said, the two things I'm happiest about, is their resilience in not coming out and taking Sunday's game in with them to this game, that takes a lot of character, and the way they played on offense.
On the hitters at the top of the lineup, Brooks Marlow and Mark Payton in particular, setting the table for the offense tonight: That's right. That's what they are capable of doing, and I think we are getting to a point where we can run that down through six or seven guys right now. It takes that in this small-ball offense, it takes five guys to score a run a lot of times, there are no home runs. But, if you do batting averages and slugging averages of our opponents in this ballpark, they are near the same [to ours]. Not that it is good or bad, it's just the way it is.
On Kacy Clemens' solid defensive play tonight: He's done that, you know the play he didn't make on the safety squeeze [in the ninth inning Sunday] was really a tough one. But again, he is another example of not bringing any fear into this game from that other game, and that is what ballplayers have to be able to do. The ball he hit [well] to right-center there were two factors, one the wind was blowing hard back towards the center fielder, and the fact that guy can really run. Otherwise, he nailed that pitch … Both [him and Tres Barrera] have power, if they can start to be consistent at the plate, and be a little more aggressive like they were tonight, they can add another element to the team.
