The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
04.17.2014 | Baseball
Quotes from head coach Augie Garrido
Head coach Augie Garrido
On his impressions of the game tonight: When you lose you have the tendency to find the blame in it, what went wrong and who is responsible? What could have we done better? all of those kind of things. In seldom do you get in a game where you recognize the truth of the matter, the truth of the matter was the first three innings. We didn't score in the first, we didn't score in the third, for those three innings I think we were as good of a team as anybody. When [TCU pitcher Brandon Finnegan] got out of those two innings he did what great pitchers do, good pitchers can't do what he did, great pitchers can do what he did. He took his game up a notch. Then when he got the runs, he took his game up another notch, great pitchers do that.
On facing a pitcher of that caliber and how he pitched: He pitched like a major leaguer. That is exactly how he pitched. So, hats off to him. I don't think that our players did anything bad or did anything to be blamed about, we got beat by a guy who is really really good and had a really really good night, and turned in a championship performance. It is good for us to see that. Every team that plays in the college world series has one or two of those guys, if you don't see them during the regular season you are overwhelmed when you get to Omaha. It may take some losses, it may take some bumps and bruises, this game is full of all of that, some punches in the mouth, but I felt tonight [their pitcher] turned in a brilliant performance, and that was the storyline.
On failing to score when they had a few chances in the early innings: The lesson I want our players to recognize is the value of momentum. When we didn't score in the first inning and the third inning he elevated his game. He felt relieved and he felt aggressive, he felt comfortable. You couple that with his skills and his gifts as a pitcher [and he is tough to beat]. You are looking at a guy who is going to pitch in the big leagues … that's why all of the scouts were here. He is very good.
On how the team prepared to face such a talented pitcher: It isn't so much preparation, you want to play within yourself and stay with your own game. Like I said, we put balls in play in the first three innings that were pretty good, but when he felt like he survived that he dug a little deeper into his chest and pulled out some pitches that were better. He was getting his breaking ball over, he threw a 3-2 breaking ball to Brooks [Marlow] to lead off an inning, so, yes he was pretty good … I think it is important to play against that caliber of player and pitcher, and team of this caliber in our conference because it is going to reveal to us what we need to know to play championship baseball.
On how the players feel after tonight's loss: I think they feel disappointed initially, but when they get realistic about things they will realize [it wasn't their night]. You know, no competitor feels very good when they get beat, no matter what they are facing, and they want to win and they want to fight to win. But, you don't win every battle, you don't win every day. I always go to a professional golf analogy with it, look at how great those guys are, and there is a different winner all the time. They sometimes can't control their nerves, it is just that the game is so difficult. I say this a lot, but hitting a baseball, by Sports Illustrated, is the most difficult skill in all of sport. Well, if it is that difficult, throwing one is a little bit easier … but, I don't want to take anything away from what he accomplished. This night belongs to him, and it was a great night.
