May 24, 2008
CLEMSON HEAD COACH JACK LEGGETT
Overall thoughts on the game...
"We played a really good solid ball game today. Our pitching was good against a good offensive team, we made a couple of good defensive plays and we also got some timely hits. Ben got the big home run in that inning that emptied the bases for us, which was huge, and put us up by four. We were able to hold on and just do a better job offensively today."
On how this win may help his team's chance to make the NCAA tournament...
"Our conference is tremendously strong this year. I'm not sure I've seen as good of competition top to bottom in the ACC as I've seen this year and especially the three teams at the very top. Miami, North Carolina and Florida State are extremely well-balanced teams and we have had to play them during the course of the year. We have some good teams in the conference without questions, so in that respect, I think the ACC deserves having eight teams in the tournament. I hope we get the opportunity to keep playing."
CLEMSON'S BEN PAULSEN (SO.- 1B)
On the team's offensive success in the game...
"Hitting is contagious. Once you start getting leadoff men on and moving runners over, things start falling where they haven't fell. The last few days, people have been hitting the ball hard, but finally we got on a roll."
CLEMSON'S DOUG HOGAN (SR- C)
On the chance of this game possibly being the last game of his career...
"It's tough. Our fate is really out of our hands right now. We have to wait until the selection show on Monday. It's tough, and something that hasn't quite hit me yet that my college career might be over. Hopefully, we'll get to play some more games but if not it's been a fun ride."
GEORGIA TECH HEAD COACH DANNY HALL
On the game...
"That was certainly not what we wanted to do out here today. It seemed like the last two games we were making mistakes and giving up home runs for them. We walked too many guys, we'd walk a guy and the next one up would hit a home run. Kinda disappointing the way it ended, but we had a great regular season and hopefully we will be rewarded on Monday."
On chances to host an NCAA Regional next weekend...
"I don't really know, that's up to the selection committee. I believe that we have one of the best facilities in the nation to play in. I think our league is great. It's the No. 1-ranked league in the nation and has a lot of teams capable of playing deep into the NCAA Tournament. It would be nice if they rewarded us, but we have no way of knowing that."
On the new tournament format...
"I think there are likes and dislikes. I like the fact that next weekend; it gives the teams that play here the chance to be rested. Their starting pitching and relief pitching will not be overworked. Their team is not overworked because they are playing in a maximum of four games. I dislike that it doesn't really give the true champion in a tournament. I don't like knowing that when we lost to Miami, we had no chance to play for the Championship. (But) You look at the success of teams advancing to Super Regionals and Carolina going to Omaha the last few years, maybe that is the reason why."
GEORGIA TECH'S PATRICK LONG (So. - 2B)
On hosting an NCAA Regional...
"You always want to play at home; it's nice to have the fans there to support you. If we have to go on the road, it's something that we will have to deal with. We're going to have to play the hand we're dealt, hopefully we're rewarded at home.
GEORGIA TECH'S ZACH VON TERSCH (So. - RHP)
On pitching in a relief role...
"It was a little different. I did it last year but I couldn't throw strikes at the beginning of the inning. It's like starting - just gotta get it done."
