Texas Tech University Athletics
Postgame Quotes
March 10, 2010 | Baseball
March 10, 2010
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Head Coach Dan Spencer
On today's 13-9 loss to Gonzaga:
"We had a hard time. Every inning we scored, they scored behind us. We had a hard time getting even. We just never caught them. You need to get a zero after you score some runs. I understand the yard was playing small today but we need to, and we addressed it, make better pitches. I think they're aware of it but whether or not we can consistently execute it. We haven't yet. We'll continue to work on it."
On Gonzaga's seven home runs in today's loss:
"Some of it was wind and some of it were good swings. We threw a lot of balls up in the zone. Fastballs and sliders both. They're a good hitting bunch and if you get the ball up, especially on a day like today, the ball's going to go."
On starting pitcher Scott Erzinger's performance today:
"I think Scott (Erzinger) was okay. He throws a borderline pitch, 2-2, to the three-hole hitter and he balls it. The next pitch he hits it out. Then he gives up three or four consecutive hits. Scott just had a hard time. He got ahead for the most part. He'd have two strikes and then couldn't finish. He couldn't make a quality pitch to end the at-bat. Scott's a redshirt freshman and he's learning on the fly. We're asking him to do some things because of our pitching situation. So we're asking him to do some things before he's quite ready. I'm sure we're going to ask again so we'll just go back to work and continue to grind it out."
On whether or not the offense was trying to match the Gonzaga home runs:
"I think so maybe a little. But I didn't see those type swings. Their lefthander had us, actually the first three innings, off balance. He changed speeds, moved the ball in-and-out and did a pretty good job. I didn't think we hit a bunch of lazy fly balls today. I thought we stayed with it pretty well. Outside of Stephen (Hagen) and anybody that just has raw power, Hagen has raw power; we don't have a bunch of it. We are line driving and gap-to-gap and those types of things. We were just trading. Unfortunately, every time we'd score two, they'd get three or we'd get three and they'd get two. We could never get even. When you're down 4-0 out of the shoot, it takes a little bit of your running game out of the way when you feel you can't do some things you wanted to because you don't want to take chances. It's kind of a catch 22."
On the upcoming weekend series against TCU:
"TCU's good. I don't know where they're ranked, top 10 I'd guess somewhere. They'll be plenty good. They'll be all we want. It'll be good to play in that environment. We're looking forward to that trip. It'll be a good test for us."
On what to expect from TCU after last weekend's 11-2 loss:
"We're familiar with them and they're familiar with us. From that standpoint, it'll be even. We just need to go in there and compete well. If we pitch well and catch the groundballs, we'll be right there in the middle of it."
On the TCU series being the first true road series of the season:
"First true road series. It'll be good to get that one out of the way. We go to TCU because we have A&M on the road the next weekend so it'll be a good test."
On the closing situation now with Bettis back in the bullpen:
"I think there's going to be days you see Jay (Johnson) there still because maybe Chad (Bettis) was burned. I think we'll use them as a two-headed beast. I would think if they are both available, you'll see Jay first and then Chad behind him. We like that fact. Our job now is to try and get the ball to them late. Try to get the ball to them with the lead and shorten the game a little bit."
Shortstop Joey Kenworthy
On the Gonzaga team:
"They're a bunch that wouldn't go away. I think they were a little feisty after yesterday. They had a little more fire than we did. They were sticky at the plate and stayed with it the whole game."
On today's overall team performance:
"Pitching and defense will always win you games. Especially with the yard playing big today, any kind of ball in the air had the potential to get out. If you just don't get the ball down or pitch like you're supposed to, it's hard for us offensive guys to stay in the game and keep the team in the game."
On changing their approach at the plate due to the high winds today:
"Not really. Coach Spencer said to just stay with our approach and the balls that you hit in the air, they are going to go as it is. Stick with the simple approach and stay as you are. Don't let the wind affect anything. We weren't trying to hit the ball out though, maybe Bonham (Hough) was."
On Gonzaga countering every scoring inning Tech had:
"Very frustrating and that's tough as an offense because it kind of takes away from your approach and what you are trying to do to their pitcher. Your approach is completely different when you're down five compared to when it's a tie-game or you're up by three. The opposing offense, when they're up by five, they're out there hacking away having a great time in the box and we are up there pressing and trying to do too much. It kills our approach at the plate and kind of gets out of our control."
On getting revenge this weekend at TCU after last weekend's 11-2 loss:
"We have to. We're not only playing them once but we're playing them for three games. We better show up for three games in a row or we'll be in a lot of trouble. We'll put this game day behind us and go out this weekend, have a good approach and go out there and get two wins. I think we'll be fine."
Outfielder Taylor Ashby
On today's loss to Gonzaga:
"We got out to an early deficit and just kind of struggled to get back in the game. We have to take advantage of every opportunity we have in a game like that when they are scoring and hitting home runs a lot with the wind blowing out. We left a couple of men on base when we shouldn't have."
On Gonzaga's seven home runs in today's loss:
"A lot of them were wind-dated but some of them, they hit well. I think a couple of them would have stayed in the park on a normal day. They wind was howling today."
On Gonzaga countering every scoring inning Tech had:
"We really wanted to get a win today but some days it doesn't work out. They kept hitting and we'd run some runs at them and they'd answer us. They're a good ballclub. We did what we could do and didn't end up on top."
On getting revenge this weekend at TCU after last weekend's 11-2 loss:
"Going on the road to TCU, they have a couple good pitchers. We got a taste of them. I know they're a good ballclub so we're going to have to come out and get after them. We need to get a least one and hopefully two or three from them this weekend."
On the TCU series being the first true road series of the season:
"We were home at that Houston College Classic twice so we've only batted first once so hopefully we can go out there and score some runs early. Give our pitching a break early on and let them relax. Hopefully get some wins."
