The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
03.07.2014 | Baseball
Quotes from head coach Augie Garrido
Head coach Augie Garrido
On if these close wins prove to the team that they are a much improved ball club from last season: They are proving that to themselves. I think they are proving that they can trust each other, they don't have to be perfect to win the game. There were some imperfections in the first inning and Parker [French] could have come apart, but he trusted himself, he trusted his stuff, he threw the ball to the mitt and the players made the plays behind him. That takes a lot of courage. He is one on of those guys who lost a lot of one-run games last year, so I think the trust is the most powerful word in teamwork. That is really what is going on right now, I think, they are developing more and more trust, which brings more and more confidence.
On the several outstanding defensive plays: That has been our game, pitching and defense has been our game for a long time, and it wins games when it is at that level. Of course, they hit some balls too that were catchable, but were really hit hard. So, there is a luck factor involved with that too, but you still have to make the plays. We did make the plays defensively, they did hit into some bad luck, and that many times, separates the two teams. I thought he [Matt Cooper] was the best pitcher we have faced all year.
On how winning these close games illustrates how much this team has improved from last year: I think it is a good example of it. If our hitters can stay with the approach they are using right now, that guy [Cooper] was very good, he used three pitches efficiently and located very well, and we never really came apart at the plate even though we were behind 2-0. We stayed with our approach at the plate. And we feel if they continue to battle that way, continue to trust themselves, and continue to play the way they are playing now and not give in to the game, that in two or three weeks you will see us scoring more runs.
On John Curtiss closing out the ninth innings: Well we are hoping he will be the closer. We are bringing Thornhill back into the starting rotation ... we can get to John Curtiss and Ty Marlow, who pitched the other day, and we hope to pitch him this weekend. He was our closer last year along with Corey [Knebel], he actually was more efficient than Corey was last year.
