May 26, 2007

GAME 9 QUOTES * #7 GEORGIA TECH VS. #6 NC STATE

NC STATE HEAD COACH ELLIOTT AVENT
Overall thoughts on the game...
"I was really proud of the way we played today. When you are out hitting on a high school field at eight o'clock in the morning and coming off of losing two games, especially a tough Virginia game - that is a tough schedule. Crazy things happen in this game of baseball. It was nice to have a day off and walk around thinking about the games. So when the team walked into breakfast at six o'clock this morning, you would have thought that it was noon. They came out ready to play and did well. Georgia Tech is a great baseball club."

On Marcus Jones' performance...
"I don't think Marcus (Jones) cares where he is in the lineup. He has hit leadoff, eighth, second, and probably ninth when I was mad at him. But he was a great match-up with a leftie. The only time I was glad he was hitting fourth was when he came up in the first inning and got the hit to get us going. He will definitely be in the lineup because he is playing really well right now."

On teams getting into the NCAA Tournament...
"I understand that there are eight ACC teams in the top 24 RPI. Since they invented the RPI for a reason, I think it is time they act on it."

On the new tournament format...
"I didn't know what to expect coming in. I really liked it as I looked at it and then after going through it, I think it's a great format for us. It works in a lot of ways."

NC STATE CATCHER CALEB MANGUM
On your go ahead hit...
"I really wasn't thinking about anything other than putting the ball in play. I wanted to get a hit early on and had a few aggressive hacks early in the count. Once he got two strikes on me, I knew that I couldn't get out. They beat me with the inside fastball last time and I actually just barely got it this time as well."

GEORGIA TECH HEAD COACH DANNY HALL
Overall thoughts on the game...
"It's a tough loss for us. We battled hard all day. We had a hard time keeping their leadoff hitters off base, I felt like they always had base runners with nobody out. They had the one big inning on us and we kept coming back and kept getting ahead but couldn't keep them from tying us or going ahead. As fate would have it, a 90-foot single ended up winning the game for them. It's tough to take, but that's baseball. Hopefully we can move on and have a chance to play next weekend."

On how many teams from the ACC should make the NCAA tournament...
"I think our league is the highest-ranked league in the country. Four of our teams made it to the College World Series. I think all eight of the teams in this tournament deserve to keep playing but I don't make that decision. When you are sitting where we are sitting its out of your hands. We deserve to go but whether we do or not, we will have to wait and see."

GEORGIA TECH THIRD BASEMAN PATRICK LONG
On making the NCAA tournament...
"We're looking forward to next week. That was a tough one to swallow today. It doesn't matter how hot I am, I didn't get to hit in the last inning, to clear it and go. We are playing again next week and have to stay focused."