University of Richmond Athletics
Post Game Quotes
06/02/2002 | Baseball
June 2, 2002
Richmond head coach Ron Atkins...
"It's been a long day. I think people were watching two great ball clubs
playing today. The first game was a great ball game; I was proud to be in
it.
Wake Forest came out and did what they had to do. In that second game our
guys
were determined, they came out, put up a four spot in that first inning. I
think that was the telltale sign of that ball game. From then on, it seemed
like we just had to hang on. We got a couple of key hits here and there,
made
some great defensive plays and I think both clubs made great defensive
plays.
I know we left 11 men on base in that first ball game, but we were
determined
not to do that in the second ball game. We knew we had to score seven or
eight
runs to give us a shot to win it, and that's what we did."
On pitcher Matt McLoughlin:
"Matt throws a change-up, curve ball. He's a guy that if you're in the ball
game and you're a free swinger and you're going after a lot of pitches, he's
going to give you trouble. That's what he did today. He kept them off
balance
and I think for two or three innings, they didn't know what was coming. If
you
have hitters like Wake Forest does, who hit the baseball the way they do,
you've got to have somebody to come in and keep them off balance. That's
exactly what he did."
Richmond pitcher Matt McLoughlin...
"I pitch a lot of change-ups and my ball moves away. I kind of sit on the
outside corner but if I don't throw in, they sit on it and drive it to the
opposite field. I tried to bang inside today and work the change-ups and
breaking balls."
Richmond first baseman Vita Chiaravalloti...
"After the first game it was a battle. We knew that we had a couple of
midweek
guys throwing. We knew that we needed to get on the board early and, score
every inning. We didn't really think we were going to get a four spot, but
we
were just trying to do whatever we could do to score."
On winning the regional:
"I believed in our team from the beginning of the year, from last year. I
think its a special team and these guys want to win. It's the greatest team
I've ever played on. One through 25, even one through 31, the guys who
weren't
here, everyone works their butts off. We're a special team; hopefully were
not
done yet. We're going to go there (Lincoln) and we're going to take this as
far as we can."
Wake Forest head coach George Greer...
"I think Richmond played great; their pitching was outstanding. They did
exactly what they needed to do in a college situation or even a pro
situation,
where you pound the fastball in and go hard in and soft away. They executed
the game plan very well. I thought our kids had great approaches; we made
some
easy outs at times. But I think our kids battled, being down 4-0, then 6-0.
If it's in the first or second inning or even the third inning, like we were
to
Georgia, it doesn't get our team down. We just coming back and coming back.
They made big pitches when they had to and they played great. They're just
a
very, very good team."
On starting a freshman pitcher in the final game:
"We've given a freshman the ball in the past. He (Bach) was healthy, he's
pitched two complete games for us this year. He pitched during our injury
problems at the beginning of the year, he pitched in ACC competition; games
against Florida State, Carolina and NC State, so he's been out there before.
I'm sure that he was nervous; he was up in the zone and when he was up in
the
zone with a four-seam fastball, he got hit. Then he changed his approach a
bit, and we got ground balls. We made two errors in the second inning that
cost us two runs. That probably was the biggest difference in the game
right
there."
On Jamie D'Antona:
"He's just a great player. We've talked about all the kinds of things he
needs
to do over the summer and in the fall to be a better player. He's got the
drive
and determination that he will be. When we're in the NCAA Tournament again
next year, he'll have even a better year."
Wake Forest pitcher Dave Bush...
"Obviously very disappointing. We had the talent and ability to do it and
we've had it the last couple years. Same thing the last couple of years, we
just can't quite get over that hump that we need to. The tough loss
yesterday
really put us behind and obviously the same thing happened last year. To
have
to play the extra game and have to win the extra game is difficult.
Especially
against a team like RIchmond, we had to use one extra pitcher that we
wouldn't
have liked to use. It caught up with us by the end. We kind of came up
short
today. I love these guys, I wish them the best of luck next year.
Hopefully
they can break through and get to Omaha next year."
Wake Forest right fielder Ryan Johnson...
"I'm kind of speechless right now, obviously. Even this morning, I woke up
and
didn't our season was going to be over tonight. But, I was trying to think
positive. After that first game, I was hoping we'd carry over some momentum
and fight through the heat and being tired and the mental exhaustion. But
Richmond is a great ball club. Like I told you earlier in the week, you
don't
be stuck on Sunday having to beat a good team twice."
