Texas Tech University Athletics
Postgame Quotes
February 27, 2010 | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2010
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Head Coach Dan Spencer
Late rally in game after last night:
"The three late runs were nice. (Stephen) Hagen hit the home run, we had a walk and a couple doubles. That's huge. That's the difference in the game. We were in dire need. We were in trouble. We've got to figure out a way to be better on the mound late in the game. We will worry about that a little bit. We'll talk about it after the game then we will line up and play again tomorrow. To hang around and play defense like we did, and then (Joey) Kenworthy made a great play to the end the game. (Garrett) Totten did a good job of getting to the ball. I would have liked him to go ahead and catch it clean but he had to go a ways for it anyways. It was a good win for the kids as far as character and coming back after getting beat last night and scoring some runs as well as being patient with a guy who was having a hard time throwing strikes. They're a loose bunch that bunch over there (Bethune-Cookman) so if you don't make your pitches they'll make you pay. It's a win. We'll take it."
On shortstop Joey Kenworthy:
"I would tell you that Kenworthy is the best position player in the league and there would be a lot of coaches who would vote with me just for all the things he can do. He can hit. He's a switch-hitter. He'll draw a walk. He makes all the plays. He's a high character kid with big courage. He stays with guys. He's a leader. I'm appealing the NCAA to give him a fifth-year eligibility right now but I don't know if we'll get it."
On relief pitcher Justin Cooper's performance tonight:
"He comes in and sinks it and throws strikes. That's the key. Especially when guys are on the ball and swinging the bat pretty good. You can't compound things with a balk, or hitting a guy in the back. Coop's been a very pleasant addition, no doubt about it."
On his team answer after last night's loss to Washington State:
"I thought overall the answer was good. I thought we stayed in it. I thought we could've lost our edge energy-wise when they dropped that three-run inning and went ahead in the fourth, but then we scored six in the bottom of the fourth. Then they scored three in the sixth. They pressed us all game and we did a good job responding. I am proud of them for that. They're not all pretty like you draw them up. They're not all 5-3 or 5-0 games. We'll take it."
On how the pitching staff lineup looks going into tomorrow's game:
"Thin. We need to get some innings out of (Jordan) Stern. We'll start Stern. We need to score some runs early. We were able to keep Jay (Johnson) out of the game tonight. We had to. We felt like we needed to give him a rest even though he was chomping at the bit, wanting to get the ball back and go back to work. But in the best interests of him and the long-term, we'll have Jay available again tomorrow. If we throw strikes, we'll be fine. I think we will."
Shortstop Joey Kenworthy
On the two-out rally to tie the game in the seventh inning:
"I think in the sixth and seventh, we were kind of down when it got tied. But when we rallied back and got the atmosphere better in the dugout, I think we did a great job bouncing back and fighting through adversity a little bit."
On his home run over the left field wall:
"I got a pretty good swing on it. The pitch was right down the middle and I just put a short, quick swing on it. It definitely helps the wind is blowing out a little bit too."
On the team's overall approach at the plate tonight:
"I think as the game went on, we made it tougher on their pitchers. We were taking their pitchers into deeper counts and that obviously makes it harder on their pitcher. I think they got frustrated with our approach and we just made it real tough on them to get us out. We were actually really tough outs tonight and that just affected them throughout the entire game. It just worked out our way."
On the Bethune-Cookman team:
"They're pesty. They're a fiery bunch. I think no matter what the score was, or the situation was, they just fight every single inning and that's what makes them a tough bunch. That's why this was a close game tonight. They're a great bunch to play."
On tomorrow's match-up against Washington State:
"I think a win is always good but we have to have a short-term memory and put it behind us. We have a game tomorrow and if we stay with our approach, we will be fine tomorrow. We're really not worried about tonight. We still have tomorrow left."
Third Baseman Nick Popescu
On his `inside the park' home run:
"That was clearly the first I've ever had. Coach (Petrie) was telling me to run home after I rounded third and I was like `What??! One of the trainers had a Gatorade or water waiting for me on the bench, and it wasn't enough for me. I was spent. But it was a fun experience. There's a first time for everything."
On the team's attitude after tonight's game:
"We were excited. It's always nice to bounce back from a loss like last night. We had it in the bag, but that's how baseball is. You never know what is going to happen. It's great to come back and 14-12 is a huge win for us."
On his great start so far to the 2010 season:
"You know, it's 30 degrees out here and you see these fans out here, everyone's here. It's a great atmosphere to play baseball in. Joey Kenworthy, playing with him on the left side of the diamond, you can learn something new from him every night."
On tomorrow's match-up against Washington State:
"We have to play a full nine innings. It'll be fun. I think our team's ready to go."
