Arizona State & Oral Roberts Post-Game Press Conferences
6/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | General
Oral Roberts Post-Game Press Conference
Head Coach Ryan Folmer
Opening Statement
“Obviously a disappointing end, but I thought we played well enough at times for sure. Disappointing at times not with how our guys competed but we just came up a little bit short.”
On the problem with stringing hits together
“We had a lot of trouble stringing those things together. We hit a lot of balls hard too. I thought we hit balls hard in big moments today, but it just wasn’t falling for us for whatever reason. I think when you have those moments, you just have to grind through it and figure out a way to get some more. You score one run in 18 innings and that is just not going cut it. Like I told our guys, it is not because of a lack of effort. We played hard and we got after it. We just came up a little short and couldn’t string it together.”
On Arizona State pitcher Jordan Aboites
“I think one thing that he did really well is that he commanded the zone all day long. When it was strike one, as soon as we stepped in the box, he was able to command his breaking ball. When you are able to do those things, you are going to give a lot of people problems. Tip your hat to him because I thought he was outstanding in the way he competed and the way he pounded the zone and in the way he was commanded his breaking ball especially early in the game. He was good and he pitched well.”
On Holden Cammack and Brady Womacks coming in
“They gave us a chance. They held it right there and those guys have been doing that all year long. Holden and Brady have kind of anchored the backend of our bullpen all year long. We knew we were going to have a chance to go to them today and give us a chance in the game. We had some opportunities late and we had a bunch of guys on base late but we just couldn’t get that big one to get them going.”
Pitcher Nick Wood
On how things felt out there today
“It felt good. My job was to go out there and compete to the best of my ability. Besides five or six pitches, I thought I did pretty well. I got caught when I threw some balls up in the zone and I paid for it, but overall, I just gave it my all and competed to the best of my ability.”
On the season as a whole
“We’ve had our ups and downs and it has been a rollercoaster, but through it all we stuck together. We had a great team and we just battled through the whole year. We got where we are today. It is a tough way to end it.”
Designated Hitter Rolando Martinez
On Arizona State pitcher Jordan Aboites
“First few up at bats, I was just waiting for the fastball and afterwards, I just started working more with the sliders. I was just trying to find a good pitch to find but towards the end I wasn’t really getting what I wanted. He was winning the battle.”
On the postseason experience
“It was great. My first year here was last year and it was just exciting because the atmosphere is all fun. Coming into this year, we were expecting what was coming and it is really fun just being out here and being in postseason with all these guys.”
Arizona State Post-Game Press Conference
Head Coach Tracy Smith
Opening Statement
“First off, congratulations to Oral Roberts. What a season they put together and there are only 64 teams that get here and to be one of those is a heck of an accomplishment. Congratulations to them on a great season. We wish them safe travels.
“Today for us, it was important that the guy to my right (pitcher Jordan Aboites), which is where we are pitching wise, we needed a complete game. If we were going to script this thing before we started, I don’t know if it would have come out any better for us with a win and not having to use any of our pitchers in the bullpen. Just a good team win. Our thought is that we are still alive and still playing and that is all you can ask for at this point. We are excited to have the opportunity to play whoever we are playing tomorrow morning.”
On leaving his starting pitcher out there
“We are trying to map this baby out to maximize our opportunities to win. I would say maybe in a different day, we run our closer (Eder) Erives out there to finish it out, but we are going to have to use him in a different role this week. We said going in, ‘Dude, go finish this game. We need you to finish this game.’ He did just that. I don’t think we could have scripted it any better for us from a pitching standpoint.”
Pitcher Jordan Aboites
On giving up 11 hits and only one run
“For me personally, I am always a guy that always gives up a lot of hits in a game and I have to work out of jams like that. There were no more than usual today hits wise, but this was also the longest I have ever been in a game. Just trusting my defense and making pitches when I needed to and I had a couple big double plays that saved me a lot of pitches, which was definitely big. I obviously always trust in Brian (Serven) over here to block for me and call the game.”
On Brian Serven and what he means to the team offensively
“A ton defensively and offensively. We couldn’t do it without him. We kind of have the same brain when we are working on the same field. He knows what I want to throw and I know what he is thinking. That is always a great bond as pitcher and catcher and obviously for him to give me a couple of more runs today was awesome and he has been doing that all year.”
Catcher Brian Serven
On what Jordan Aboites was thinking
“We are just always on the same page. I am not going to come up with some certain point in the game, but we are always on same page. It has been like that all three years that we have been together. Pitcher-catcher. That combo. We have always been on the same page. I just think I always know what is going through his head on the mound and he always knows what is going through my head. I think it works out well.”
On it being an elimination game
“I don’t know if it put extra motivation but we are pretty motivated guys and a pretty motivated group. Obviously it is an elimination game so you win or go home. I think we put it all on the line and we were fortunate enough to be able to come out with the win.”
