ACC: Game three begins, game two quotes
By Glenn Tanner - May 26, 2007
Florida State and Clemson are about to start game 3 of the day. Each team needs a win and help in the nightcap 4 to reach tomorrow's final against North Carolina. A FSU win would eliminate Wake Forest; a Clemson win would eliminate Miami.
FSU starts ACC Pitcher of the Year Bryan Henry. He's 14-0 in 16 starts with a 2.50 ERA. In 104.1 innings, he has struck out 107 and allowed only 88 hits.
Clemson throws David Kopp. In 15 starts, he's 52 with a 3.86 ERA in 84 innings.
Hey, guess what? Tony Thomas, Jr. just hit the first pitch of the game for a single. Shocking, huh?
"I'm sure you'll all ask about the new format. We're 2-1 in this tournament, and if it was the old format we'd still be playing. But you know, that's the breaks. I like this format. I'm in favor of it to continue in the future. The reality is, we had a chance to go to the title game by winning today. We don't deserve to go to the title game because North Carolina beat us. They were the better team today." -- UVa coach Brian O'Connor
"It seemed like [UNC starter Alex White] was determined today. When he had us with two strikes he was throwing that slider in and out of the zone and putting us away. Although I thought we swung the bat pretty good at times and squared some balls up, but the balls didn't go anywhere. A guy like that, as talented as he is, when he's on it's very difficult to string multiple hits together. That's what makes him a great starter and he is going to be a great starter in this league for a couple more years. I wish he was a junior." -- O'Connor
"There's a lot of mental adjustment I have to make [going from closer to starter]. When I close, I pretty much run out there trying to get a strikeout on every pitch. Now I have to focus on throwing strikes and letting hitters put balls in play early in the count because that's what I need to do to go deep into ballgames." -- UVa closer-turned-starter Casey Lambert
"North Carolina did to us what we typically do to other people -- put pressure on. They were able to do it to us because they had a lead." -- O'Connor
"[Reid Fronk] bunted on his own [to drive in the third run]. Kyle Shelton was supposed to sac bunt, missed a sign, and he hits a double, so I'll forgive him. I'd rather be lucky than good any day. Reid did that on his own -- went to Tim [Fedroff on third] and said 'Don't be surprised if I bunt.' They're pretty good. They know what they're doing." -- UNC coach Mike Fox
Fox will start Luke Putkonen tomorrow.
Posted by Glenn Tanner at 05:11 PM on May 26, 2007
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