Game 4: Clemson vs. Coastal Carolina – Postgame Quotes

June 4, 2011

CLEMSON QUOTES

Head Coach Jack Leggett “I thought we played a really good game tonight start to finish. Our offense really made a statement early by scoring two runs in each of the first three innings, and then later when we had a four-run inning. Dominic (Leone) battled for us tonight, he didn’t have his best stuff. Coastal Carolina hit the ball really well. I thought (David) Haselden came in a did a nice job. John (Hinson) made a nice play to start a double play that was big, and then Jeff `s (Schaus) play was big for us later in the game. I thought we played well against a good team.”

On Clemson’s pitching staff: “Dominic gave us everything he could in the time he was out there, but I thought it was time to get Haselden in. He got us out of the inning and then after that settled things down for us and allowed us to get our rhythm back offensively. It was a good team effort tonight by a lot of guys. We just have to go get some rest now and come back ready tomorrow.”

Third Baseman John HinsonOn his performance in the Regional to this point: “I feel comfortable at the top of the order, but I have confidence in all of our guys at the plate. I think seeing a lot of pitches and knowing what kind of approach to take to the plate has been big for us.”

On being 2-0 in the Regional: “Obviously you always feel good to be in the winner’s bracket. We are fortunate to be playing well. Hopefully we will keep it going tomorrow.”

Leftfielder Jeff SchausOn his outfield assist in the 7th inning: “He really hit it solid. It was just a reaction play. It bounced right back to me and I just tried to make a good throw.”

On Clemson’s offensive performance: “Right now our guys have a good approach and are taking good swings.”

First Baseman Richie ShafferOn Clemson’s offense at this point in the season: “I think now that it is crunch time and you have a full year of at bats behind you means you have also had a full year of making adjustments. I know that has helped me and I think the other guys on the team, as well.”

COASTAL CAROLINA QUOTES

Head Coach Gary Gilmore “I told Coach Leggett after the game I thought moving over to his dugout where had beaten me so many times was going to give me a little bit of luck. It didn’t work out that way. I told him he spanked my behind on both sides of that field. I just have to tip my hat to them. They played very well.”

“We struggled out of the gate on the pitchers mound not making pitches. The difference between yesterday and today is pretty much making pitches and making plays. We had opportunities to cut some of that deficit offensively. We had opportunities to make a play defensively, to make a play here and there which would have kept us in the ballgame with a chance at the end. We didn’t do it so now we have to come back tomorrow.”

On double play on bunt attempt: “If we get that bunt down and don’t even get a hit, but a long fly ball it is a 6-5 ballgame instead of 6-4. All you can do as a coach and the kids will tell you this, is put them out there and give them opportunities. They make me look like a million dollars sometimes and sometimes is does not work that way. We put guys in position to do some things and did not get it done today. We did the same thing a year ago and it was a lot worse. We got completely embarrassed from pitch one a year ago and had to go home and sleep and come back and climb a gigantic mountain one pitch at a time. We are going to have to do the same thing tomorrow or we will be out of the thing in a hurry.”

On Clemson: “They have a great line-up. They are playing very well with a lot of confidence. Guys are putting good swings on balls. Again not that they are not very good, but a piece of them being so good tonight is we were that bad. That is it in a nutshell. It is a combination of the two. Pretty much any time a team gets 15 or 16 hits on you there is a combination of them being good and us not being very good. We have to come back tomorrow, that is all we can do.”

Second Baseman Tommy La StellaOn coming back tomorrow: “We have to come out tomorrow and put this behind us. What’s done is done. We can’t dwell on it or we will get beat by a very good UCONN team. We have to put it behind us and play from pitch one until the game is over and see what happens. Hopefully we can get a win and get on to the next game.”

First Baseman Rich WittenOn coming back tomorrow: “We have a great opponent at 3 o’clock and that is all we can worry about right now. If you don’t win that win there is no second game. There are two great teams to beat tomorrow, but you can’t look at it like that. You just have to start at 3 o’clock tomorrow and come ready to play then.”