Up next in 10
#UNC second baseman Jackson Van De Brake, left fielder Carter French and Coach Scott Forbes
Jun 5, 2025
The Tar Heels held a press conference ahead of hosting Arizona in the Chapel Hill Super Regional beginning Friday. #arizona
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Jackson
0:02
Jackson, you and Keley okay after that
0:05
little confrontation there? Yeah, he uh
0:08
he definitely got the worst end of that.
0:10
Um it's kind of just an awkward play and
0:12
he's he's tough and he's he'll be all
0:14
right.
0:16
Carter, Coach Forbes talked this morning
0:17
about you being one of the X factors at
0:19
the bottom of the lineup. How is just
0:20
your comfortability increased there?
0:23
Yeah, it's just the more games you play,
0:25
I guess, the more comfortable you get.
0:26
And my job's easy. I just got to get on
0:29
base on base for the guys in the middle
0:31
of the order, score runs and help us win
0:33
any way we can. Sort of your journey. I
0:36
mean, two years ago, you you got thrown
0:38
into fire when Vance was out. Last year
0:40
was tough to get in that outfield
0:42
lineup. This year um finally settled in
0:45
there. Just speak to that aspect of of
0:47
your personal journey. Yeah, it's been
0:49
great the last two years just watching
0:50
all those guys come through here and
0:52
just play really good baseball. Like
0:54
Vance and Casey were two guys I really
0:56
looked up to and they taught me a lot
0:59
and basically just how to react and
1:02
respond in certain situations and just
1:05
know who I am and just play my game and
1:07
try to get better every day. Carter, how
1:10
have you seen some of these older
1:11
experienced players like Vandy embrace
1:13
that leadership role on you guys' front?
1:15
Yeah, Vandy's great and Vandy and Nap,
1:17
our two captains, do a great job of
1:19
leading the team and showing everyone
1:21
how we do things around here. So, it's
1:24
easy for us to look to them as good
1:26
examples of how to play the game and how
1:29
to act on and off the field. Can you go
1:32
ahead? I was going to say, Carter, on a
1:33
personal level, how do you juggle all of
1:35
the immense school work that you are
1:37
working on with playing baseball? Yeah,
1:39
right now is nice cuz we're out of
1:41
school and I just focus on baseball, but
1:43
yeah, during the year it's tough. It's a
1:45
lot on my plate, but I just try to
1:47
manage the best I can and plan ahead.
1:50
Sometimes some weeks are harder than
1:53
others, but the coaching staff and uh
1:56
the whole team here just does a great
1:57
job of helping me out and adjusting when
2:00
needed. Mandy, can you take us through
2:03
uh what Orel was asking you about the
2:04
the play with with Keley and, you know,
2:08
maybe a blowby-blow, no pun intended. Uh
2:11
I mean, and did you think you might have
2:13
knocked him out, you know, because
2:15
because you hit his head? Yeah, I mean I
2:17
didn't know I didn't know where I got
2:20
him. I knew that I got him good wherever
2:22
it was. It was kind of right on my quad
2:24
right above the knee. Luckily, if it was
2:26
my knee, it could have been a lot worse
2:27
than it was. Um, and obviously like I
2:30
kind of went flipping over the top of
2:32
him and I kind of didn't really know
2:34
where I got him or how bad it was going
2:35
to be. Uh, when I saw him laying there,
2:38
definitely was was worried about him.
2:41
Um, got him on the side of the head, I
2:43
think. And like I said, it was my quad
2:45
luckily. um he's able to to kind of
2:48
tough it out and I think that he out of
2:50
anybody is going to be a guy that that
2:52
does that does tough it out and not
2:53
going to complain. And you just to
2:55
follow up on that I mean how are you
2:57
feeling? Uh I mean you homered like not
2:59
long after that but I'm assuming you had
3:01
to be hurting wake up the next day I'm
3:04
sure sore. I mean that that type of
3:06
collision. He uh I mean really not too
3:09
bad. Like I got nothing to complain
3:10
about. I got a little bit of quad.
3:13
Nothing nothing to complain about. Okay.
3:15
I know you didn't want to afford it to
3:16
happen, but you guys faced an
3:17
elimination game and you won. You came
3:19
through with flying colors. How does
3:20
that help you guys maybe going forward?
3:22
Yeah, it's definitely kind of a
3:24
different uh I don't know if it's a
3:26
different approach, but you definitely
3:27
go into that kind of knowing that that
3:30
uh what you're facing at least. Um it is
3:33
good for us for sure cuz it's it's
3:35
likely that at some point down this road
3:37
we might be in a game like that again.
3:39
Um, but it kind of just came back to
3:42
regardless of the circumstances we're
3:45
going to play our baseball, nothing
3:46
really changes. Um, and I think that it
3:49
kind of showed that way. I think we we
3:51
jumped on them early and that allowed us
3:53
to be a little bit more free the rest of
3:55
the day. Um, but yeah, I think it's
3:57
definitely a learning experience and it
3:59
was good for us for sure. Jackson,
4:01
what's your what are your emotions
4:03
during this postseason run after last
4:05
year having to play a reserve role while
4:08
still being a captain and a leader? Uh,
4:10
and how much did you learn watching for
4:12
the most part last season? Yeah, I mean,
4:15
I think I learned I learned a lot and
4:16
that was all season long, not just
4:18
postseason. Um, and it was something
4:20
that I hadn't really been through
4:22
before. Um, so that's kind of what I
4:24
what how I looked at it was how can I
4:26
get better from this and what can I
4:28
learn? Um, and I definitely did a lot.
4:30
I've talked about that a lot. Um, and I
4:33
don't think it necessarily changes the
4:36
way you play the game, but it definitely
4:37
kind of gives you some perspective. Um,
4:40
and when you're coming down the stretch
4:41
like this, I think it it just, you know,
4:43
you kind of think back to the run we
4:44
went on last year, and we're trying to
4:46
recreate some of the things that we did.
4:48
Um, and we're playing some good ball,
4:50
and we're really confident that we can
4:51
do that. To this point, how does this
4:53
feel different, if if at all, from last
4:55
season? I mean, I think that it's just
4:58
we have a lot more. We have we've a lot
5:00
of guys have been here before. Like
5:01
we've been in this spot only a year ago.
5:03
Um so I think that just having a little
5:07
bit of that experience even though we
5:08
did we lost some guys but a lot of guys
5:10
are back having been through that and
5:12
that could only help. And I think that
5:14
um talent-wise, baseball specific wise I
5:17
I think we're in as good of if not a
5:19
better spot than we were at this point
5:20
last year. Jackson, along along those
5:22
very same lines about having been in
5:24
this spot, um you know, a lot of guys on
5:27
this team, is this a point when you're
5:29
two wins away from Omaha, can you sort
5:31
of taste it? Can you see it out there?
5:34
Yeah, I mean, I think you everybody kind
5:36
of knows it's there for sure, but we
5:39
it's two or three games that we have
5:42
ahead of us that are that are more
5:43
important than anything. And all we're
5:44
really focused on is tomorrow. Um
5:47
because we that's coach Forbes talks
5:49
about it constantly is you know like we
5:51
do know what's ahead of us but we also
5:54
we got to get better today at practice
5:55
and then heading into to tomorrow that's
5:57
that's all our focus
5:59
is your season really took off when you
6:03
were bumped up to the two spot in the
6:05
order. Why do you think that was? I
6:07
don't know if it was any I think it just
6:09
kind of was the the way it worked out
6:11
honestly. I think that uh they were kind
6:12
of playing around with the order for a
6:15
lot of the first half of the season. Um
6:18
we weren't really solid other than other
6:20
than Keley being in the leadoff spot. we
6:22
pretty much everybody had moved around
6:23
and it just I think it was kind of
6:26
coincidental honestly that when I got
6:27
moved there is kind of when I started
6:29
being on the barrel a lot and um I've
6:32
ended up sticking there and I think the
6:33
lineup that we've had the last I don't
6:35
even know probably five or six weeks is
6:38
he probably could switch some things
6:40
around but he chooses not to just
6:41
because our offense has been really
6:43
really good and efficient we're scoring
6:45
runs like that. Um so yeah I mean I
6:47
enjoy hitting the two-hole I'd hit
6:49
anywhere doesn't matter. Jackson similar
6:52
to that it the outfield settled down and
6:56
you guys really took off when he when
6:58
Carter was cemented in there. Just sort
7:00
of speak to what he brings. Yeah, I mean
7:02
absolutely. Uh
7:04
we kind of had an idea of it was going
7:06
to be Keley and Bass and then that that
7:08
last spot was kind of up for grabs and
7:10
it was a matter of of who was going to
7:13
go and take it. Um and Frenchie we knew
7:16
could play could play defense no matter
7:18
what. He was our best defensive guy in
7:20
that spot for sure. Um and then kind of
7:23
like he spoke on earlier, it's he's on
7:26
base all the time. Um scoring runs at
7:28
pretty much every time he's on base. Um
7:30
and that's for our lineup. That's
7:32
perfect and that's what we needed. Um
7:34
and it's continued to be a huge factor
7:37
for us. Jackson, I think it was during
7:39
Aiden's outing, Luke called just a
7:41
catcher pitcher mound meeting. I think
7:43
he ran up for maybe 10 seconds, ran
7:45
back. How have you used your leadership
7:46
role now that you
7:48
have previous to last year, you have
7:50
more of an active, you know, you're on
7:52
the dirt for all the things. How have
7:53
you used that leadership style that you
7:55
have in just situations like that? Yeah,
7:58
that was kind of just like that was a
7:59
situational thing I wanted to talk to. I
8:01
was talking to Luke actually in that
8:02
case about something that their base
8:04
runners might be doing. Um, but yeah, I
8:07
mean, I think you're right. I'm I'm in
8:09
more of a spot to where I can, you know,
8:11
I can kind of let my voice be heard a
8:12
little bit within the game, which I
8:14
definitely enjoy. Um, but a lot of that
8:16
stuff we're kind of just it's amongst
8:18
ourselves with just in the infield to to
8:21
Luke behind the plate and we don't even
8:22
have to meet. Um, I thought that was
8:25
just kind of the good spot to go up
8:27
there and get in his ear a little bit.
8:28
You guys are going from a regional
8:30
format to a super, from the option of
8:32
playing three teams to just playing one.
8:34
How does that change how much you prep
8:35
and you scout for a team like Arizona?
8:39
Um, yeah. I mean, it's it's kind of like
8:41
what we're comfortable with. You play
8:43
the the three game set all year. Um, and
8:46
playing in a regional is definitely
8:48
interesting. I think a lot of that goes
8:49
on our on the coaching staff and that's
8:52
they take a lot of pride in that having
8:54
to prepare for for all these different
8:55
teams and I think that they would
8:57
probably tell you that they enjoy
8:59
preparing for one instead. Um, and these
9:02
last couple days we're locking in on
9:04
their arms. Um, kind of know what we're
9:06
going to be doing defensively. And
9:08
again, I'll keep saying it. It pretty
9:10
much just it comes back to what we're
9:11
doing and what kind of baseball we're
9:12
playing.
9:15
I believe coach Ford just said he he
9:17
calls you doctor at times. Do you get
9:19
that in the clubhouse? Uh, get riveting
9:22
or anything about that? Yeah, it's kind
9:24
of that nickname kind of has because I
9:28
haven't earned anything yet. So, that's
9:30
kind of developed this year. just
9:31
because of my goals and what I'm trying
9:33
to do. But no, it's just yeah, it's all
9:36
it is. It's just banter and guys calling
9:38
me that cuz I'm in the books a lot. So,
9:41
what do you want to practice? Uh, right
9:44
now I want to be an orthopedic surgeon,
9:46
but I don't know yet. I won't know that
9:49
for a while. for both of you guys. What
9:52
obviously Lynch and McDuffy have pitched
9:54
well all year out of the the bullpin,
9:56
but the way they have performed in the
9:58
ACC tournament and then last year in the
10:01
regionals like what does that do for
10:03
your belief in those guys? I mean this
10:06
is their first postseason. Like what the
10:09
way they're pitching is that has that
10:12
upped your confidence in those guys? Um
10:15
for me it definitely has. Those guys all
10:18
year have just been throwing well and
10:20
it's easy for us to play defense behind
10:23
them because they get a lot of guys out
10:24
in the box. They strike a lot of guys
10:26
out. So, uh, the more they play, the
10:29
better they get and they're pitching
10:31
well in big moments. So, it's just
10:34
credit to them and the hard work that
10:35
they put in. And I think that reflects
10:37
on the whole pitching staff and how much
10:40
work they put in and it makes our job a
10:43
lot easier as hitters cuz we don't have
10:45
to put up as many runs when they're
10:47
throwing well. Well said. I don't I
10:50
don't know how much I can add to that. I
10:51
think we're we're very confident with
10:53
those guys up there, those two guys
10:54
specifically. But, I mean, anybody they
10:56
throw out there, we we know we're in
10:58
good hands. we're we're going to play
11:00
defense behind them and um I think that
11:03
the the postseason experience that
11:05
they've gotten to this point just in the
11:07
the couple of weeks has been huge for
11:09
them and they're going to continue to
11:10
grow. Thanks guys. Appreciate it guys.
11:13
Thank you. Welcome to everybody. Uh
11:16
exciting day obviously for our guys. Um
11:18
that's how I woke up this morning. Just
11:20
ultra excited for all of our players. Um
11:23
they're the reason you coach. We have a
11:25
lot of guys that have been in this
11:26
position. Um, we also have a lot of guys
11:29
that came to North Carolina to be in
11:31
this position. Um, so I'm so excited
11:34
that we're playing here. Um, Arizona has
11:37
a great team. We're going to have to
11:38
play extremely well. Uh, our guys
11:40
recovered well after Monday night. We
11:42
had the same uh thing basically we had
11:45
to do last year after the Monday night
11:48
against LSU uh to play to prepare for
11:50
West Virginia. Our strength coach does a
11:52
great job, our nutritionists, our
11:54
training staff. So, our guys are ready.
11:56
Um, I'm excited for them. Um, I'm
11:58
excited. Uh, I think we're going to have
12:00
a great crowd here at Bosimmer Stadium
12:03
and hopefully the weather will
12:04
cooperate. Um, but again, I just want to
12:07
reiterate how excited I am for our
12:10
players because this is a group that has
12:11
done everything we've asked them to do.
12:13
They've represented us in a in a first
12:14
class manner. They've crushed it in the
12:16
classroom and they've crushed it on the
12:18
field. So, I'm just going to get out of
12:19
their way and watch them play. Coach, we
12:21
just had Carter in here. How have you
12:23
seen him make a difference in the
12:25
lineup, but also set an example like you
12:27
said in the classroom and outside off
12:28
the field? Yeah, I mean, uh, you know,
12:31
first of all, he's a really good player.
12:33
Um, so we're lucky that he that he ended
12:34
up coming to UNCC and the old school
12:37
type walk-on. Um, you know, he's just
12:40
worked his way in to being an everyday
12:42
player. Uh we just felt like the
12:44
strength of our pitching staff of our
12:47
team was our pitching staff and we
12:48
couldn't give extra outs and putting him
12:50
in left field has really solidified our
12:52
defense. Um but he's also gotten better
12:54
and better offensively. Um he's
12:56
competitive. He's not scared of any
12:58
situation. Again, that's that football
13:00
background that he has. But to see him
13:03
put in the work um to be in that weight
13:05
room, I still think he has another jump.
13:07
He's still really young looking as you
13:08
guys see uh when you're talking to him.
13:12
So, I've already told him this summer
13:13
what our goal is, you know, to put on
13:14
about 10 to 15 more pounds um around his
13:18
obviously hectic schedule academically,
13:21
which is even more amazing that he's
13:23
able to manage all that and do
13:24
everything that he does. Scott, what? Go
13:27
ahead. Thanks. Scott, what do you think
13:28
of Kane Keley's walk up song, The Lion
13:31
King? How the fans have gotten involved
13:33
in it? And if you can't answer too, like
13:35
just speak to his overall impact and his
13:37
story as well. Yeah, you know, I was
13:39
kind of I was wondering about that walk
13:41
up song when it first started. I was
13:42
like, that's unique. I didn't know how
13:44
that was going to take. Um, but
13:45
obviously it took and it took really
13:48
well.
13:49
Um, you
13:51
know, Kane Keley is the definition of
13:54
old school baseball player. He's made
13:56
himself into the player that that he is.
13:58
Credit to Coach Jackson for being the
14:00
only coach that gave him an opportunity
14:03
um at Liberty. He went to Liberty's
14:04
camp. Coach Jackson gave him a walk-on
14:07
opportunity there. Um, he worked his way
14:10
in. You know, Coach Jackson says he he
14:12
regretted not playing him right away
14:14
from the get-go. And once he put him in
14:16
there, he never came out. And
14:18
fortunately for us, Coach Jackson
14:20
decided to come back to North Carolina.
14:22
And uh, you know, if if Coach Jackson
14:25
doesn't make that decision, I don't
14:27
think Kane Keley's here because that's
14:29
how loyal he is. Um, you know, he
14:31
believes in Coach Jackson for giving him
14:33
that opportunity. He he really sets the
14:36
tone in everything that goes on here.
14:37
Honestly, even though he's new, he never
14:39
takes a day off. Um he's already gotten
14:41
so much stronger here. He lifts hard, he
14:43
plays hard, takes care of his body off
14:46
the field. Doesn't say a lot. He doesn't
14:47
have to. Um but he's also learned to to
14:51
speak when he needs to speak. And our
14:53
guys really really respect him. Uh and
14:56
you know, obviously he's our lead off
14:57
hitter and he had big shoes to fill. We
14:59
hadn't talked about that. That's a, you
15:01
know, I know what that feels like first
15:02
year coaching when you're going behind
15:04
somebody um like coach Fox, but I think
15:07
it was even harder for Kane following
15:09
arguably the best college center fielder
15:11
defensively uh to ever play and he's
15:13
filled that role and they're from the
15:14
same area and they know each other so
15:16
all that stuff's pretty cool. How is
15:17
Kane after that collision? Uh is he
15:20
fine? Yes, he's fine. He wouldn't tell
15:22
you if he wasn't. Um but he's he's good.
15:24
He uh he uh thankfully was not
15:27
concussed. Um, but it just rung his bell
15:30
a little bit and uh they did all the
15:32
tests and he was fine and uh I'm very
15:35
very thankful for that for sure. What
15:37
what did you think when you saw it
15:38
happen live the collision because you're
15:41
talking about the concussion? I mean
15:42
that looked like a like you might have
15:44
got knocked out. Well, obviously I
15:46
didn't think um me and Coach Jackson
15:48
were on the field which was not good um
15:51
because we looked like players and Skip
15:52
was upset at that. I would have been
15:54
probably upset too. We needed to let the
15:56
the play finish. So, but that tells you
15:58
we were like very concerned. Um, you
16:00
know, watching a play like that, those
16:02
things don't always end that way. Um, a
16:04
lot of times both players can be badly
16:06
injured. Um, anytime there's a blow to
16:08
the head, you're concerned. Um, and
16:10
you're hoping maybe it is only a
16:12
concussion. You've also seen the other
16:14
player with his knee or whatever it is.
16:16
So, got out there, you know, I was just
16:18
very thankful that it wasn't anything
16:21
more serious, but initially I it looked
16:23
really bad to me. What What about how
16:25
that play ended? because the Oklahoma
16:27
guy stayed on second. The ball was
16:29
rolling
16:30
loose. Little bit of confusion going on
16:33
out there. Yeah, that's why I just
16:34
didn't say anything and got back in the
16:36
dugout.
16:39
Scott, what were the the conversations
16:41
with with Luke coming out of the
16:42
regional? Obviously, probably not the
16:43
the production he wanted at the plate,
16:45
but what were the conversations with him
16:46
coming? Yeah, that's that's a great
16:48
question because we did have
16:48
conversations. Um, you know, Luke will
16:51
tell you, I just, you know, I want to
16:53
help our team win. So, I just explained
16:55
to him you you have helped our team win.
16:58
Uh, and let's go into this super
16:59
regional being you. Um, we coach We and
17:02
I use Kyle Schwarber as an example is he
17:06
is one of the best players. He's an
17:07
all-star. Uh, he doesn't hit 350, but
17:10
when he hits the ball, he does damage
17:11
and he walks a ton. And that's Luke
17:13
Stevenson. And what he's gotten away
17:14
from are those walks because he hadn't
17:16
gotten a lot of hits. And any hitter's,
17:19
you know, guilty of it, you start
17:20
thinking, I've got to get a hit. I've
17:21
got to get a hit. Well, Luke, I
17:23
explained to him and Coach Weir did a
17:25
better job of explaining to him, if you
17:26
walk, that's your single. Um, because
17:29
you're just not going to hit many
17:30
singles. So, just get back to
17:31
controlling the strike zone. If you walk
17:33
and you go, you know, O for O on the
17:36
day, but you're on base four times and
17:38
you score four times, you've helped us
17:40
win. So, really trying to control the
17:42
strike zone and when you swing swing at
17:44
your pitch, you can do damage. Coach,
17:47
can you describe the mental makeup of
17:48
Ryan in that he's excelled in both a
17:51
relief role and as a starter? Yeah. Um,
17:55
credit to coach Gaines. Uh, I I'll tell
17:57
you, Coach Gains saw him pitch this
17:59
spring. Um, our coaches do a phenomenal
18:00
job of seeing all of our incoming guys
18:03
as late as we can. Uh, just to see where
18:05
they are because we're always thinking
18:06
about next year's team. It's just the
18:08
nature of the beast. and he thought he
18:10
was going to pitch for us for sure
18:11
because he had two pitches that he could
18:12
control and he loved the slider. The
18:15
velocity thankfully for us was not 94 to
18:19
97. Um it was 91 92 93. Uh took another
18:23
jump when he got here. But I get to see
18:25
the work that's put in back there in
18:27
that weight room. Um and that's the
18:29
culture here. Uh, coach Gaines believes
18:32
that that culture was here when he got
18:33
here as a pitcher that if you don't work
18:35
and you don't learn to like that weight
18:37
room, you just won't make it here
18:38
because that talent starts wearing off
18:42
and guys will just flat out outwork you.
18:44
So Lynch, you know, he works. His body's
18:45
gotten bigger. You see how big his legs
18:47
are when he's on the mound. That's why
18:49
his velocity jumped and that's why he's
18:51
able to hold that velocity and that's
18:52
why he's been able to be a really good
18:53
reliever and also a swingman. Scott, I
18:55
know you didn't want to, but you guys
18:56
face elimination a couple days ago.
18:59
flying colors. You just flew right
19:00
through flying colors. How can that help
19:02
you guys down the road? You know, we
19:04
talked about that, too. I said, you most
19:06
likely, not always, sometimes you can
19:09
just roll, right? Like some teams may
19:10
make it to the College World Series and
19:12
not face quote that elimination game.
19:15
They just win, was it five games, three
19:17
and then two. Uh, but that's really
19:20
rare. Uh, so I just explained to them,
19:22
you know, we started that in ACC
19:23
tournament. That's what I like about the
19:24
format. Like, let's go ahead and treat
19:25
this like it's a regional. Let's go
19:26
ahead and treat this like a super
19:28
regional. And I remind the guys
19:29
tomorrow, let's don't think about
19:31
Saturday. Let's go in tomorrow like it
19:33
is an elimination game. The only
19:35
difference is we're not going to use
19:36
Jason Darro. Everybody else is going to
19:38
be ready and we're going to try to win
19:40
that game like it is an elimination
19:41
game. But I think it would definitely
19:43
help us for sure. Obviously, uh, Knap
19:47
the Cara the first two games I assume.
19:49
Would you consider Lynch for a possible
19:51
game three start? Yeah, I mean I would
19:53
consider Lynch. I consider Hal. I
19:55
consider McDuffy. I mean it just depends
19:56
on how it goes early. McDuffy's also
19:58
started a game for a reason. Um, and
20:00
I've seen closures at University of
20:03
North Carolina pretty much close most of
20:04
the year and then start against LSU like
20:07
Trent Thornton did in an elimination
20:09
game. So, that third starter, you know,
20:13
after the game Saturday is when we will
20:15
make that decision, uh, you know, and go
20:18
from there if there's a third game. How
20:19
does team is Arizona? They're good. Um,
20:22
they're balanced. Uh, they have a
20:25
superstar leading off. um first round
20:28
pick. Uh he reminds me a lot of the
20:30
shorts stop last year offensively from
20:32
West Virginia. Very well coached. Um the
20:36
pitchers give you a lot of different
20:37
looks. Uh they're not the same. Uh so
20:40
your approach offensively is going to be
20:42
really important. Um they don't beat
20:44
themselves very often. Uh they, you
20:46
know, they don't run a ton necessarily,
20:48
but they've got some guys that can hit
20:50
doubles and hit home runs. So it'll be a
20:51
huge challenge for us. I think they're a
20:53
really good team. Is there an added
20:55
appreciation for being here given how
20:57
many upsets there have been of top notch
20:59
seeds getting knocked out? I mean,
21:01
honestly, I don't take it for granted.
21:04
Um, when you coach a a decent amount of
21:08
time every year, you realize that it's
21:11
really, really difficult just to win in
21:13
general, much less I don't think people
21:15
realize how hard it is just to make the
21:17
postseason in college sports. Um,
21:20
college baseball teams are good. one
21:22
pitcher. That's the thing that's so
21:23
unique about
21:25
baseball. You know, one pitcher can just
21:28
neutralize your offense in in a in a
21:30
tournament in a heartbeat. So,
21:32
personally, my appreciation is I I don't
21:34
take it for granted. I remind our
21:36
coaching staff, I thank them like, "Hey,
21:39
like you guys have put in all this work,
21:40
so now really really enjoy it.
21:42
Obviously, we know where we want to get,
21:44
but the players will feel it if you're
21:46
tight. So, I refuse to let our staff get
21:48
like that. This is why we do we want to
21:49
be in this position, but it's really
21:50
hard to get to this position. It's even
21:53
harder to take the next step. But if
21:55
you're going to have a shot, take that
21:56
next step. You just got to let your guys
21:57
play impact. You said it, you said it
22:01
the other day that the pitching plan
22:03
worked out about as perfectly as it
22:05
could have. And sometimes plans don't
22:07
come to fruition. But the way that Lynch
22:10
has pitched in the postseason in Durham
22:12
and and here, does that give you maybe
22:16
some
22:17
pause for tomorrow? Like, hey, you know,
22:21
let's try not to go to him, so he's
22:23
available for a Saturday or a Sunday.
22:25
You see what I'm saying? Like, I mean,
22:26
you didn't use him in the first game
22:27
against Holy Cross and it ends up
22:30
playing out perfectly. Like, does that
22:32
give you some pause with him
22:33
specifically? I wouldn't use the word
22:35
pause. Um you know in in reality they
22:38
are both off three days rest not four
22:40
because we played Monday. Lynch threw
22:42
the most pitches. So in a perfect world
22:44
obviously he gets another day. That
22:45
doesn't mean he will. Sure. Cuz he's you
22:47
know he he feels really good this week
22:49
is which I always tell coach Gon coach
22:52
how if we manage our pitching staff the
22:53
right way the guys aren't gassed at the
22:56
end. You know they can even come back.
22:57
That's why Nap felt pretty good off two
22:59
days that he wanted us to use him that
23:01
last inning if we chose to. I think you
23:04
saw Tennessee use Doyle in that
23:06
position. As long as you're not abusing
23:07
your guys and their pitch counts are
23:09
respectable and they're getting their
23:11
rest the postseason, you know, you can
23:13
take a look at it. But with Lynch, you
23:16
know, I don't think in a regular weekend
23:18
series, uh, you hold anybody going
23:21
trying to win the series to go to Omaha.
23:23
It can change after you win game one. It
23:26
can change after you if you lose game
23:27
one. But he'll be ready tomorrow. But we
23:29
definitely that's why I'm so thankful
23:32
that we we had a plan in the ACC
23:34
tournament and we wanted to prepare our
23:35
guys for the postseason. So we're
23:37
fortunate that we still won the ACC
23:38
tournament. But getting Aiden H back out
23:40
there as a reliever, we felt like for us
23:43
to win a national championship, he's
23:45
going to be part of that bullpen and he
23:47
pitched really well. The first guy he
23:49
walked all his his fast ball average I
23:51
think was
23:52
95.3. So he's been in the bullpen before
23:55
and he can strike you out. So having him
23:57
available tomorrow at the bullpen too
23:59
definitely can can change some decision-
24:01
making possibly. And with that decision-
24:03
making, do you sort of go into it
24:04
saying, "Okay, this is going to be fluid
24:06
depending on how the game plays out."
24:08
I'm sorry. Fluid. Yeah. Yeah. Like I
24:10
mean, you got depending on how the game
24:11
plays out. Yeah. This time of year, we
24:13
know our team. Um, so the matchups are
24:15
the matchups, but you also know who your
24:16
best pitchers are. You know, your best
24:18
guys are. And I'm going to go with our
24:21
guys and their strengths over the
24:23
opponent weakness. With Luke's impact,
24:25
obviously we see what he does at the
24:27
plate, but behind the dish, he's
24:28
catching guys from Jake that have so
24:30
much college experience to Ryan and
24:32
Walker who have very little. How have
24:33
you seen him just been a great
24:35
foundation and a rock for this pitching
24:36
staff? I told him after, well, I told
24:40
the team, I said, "The most impressive
24:42
thing about Luke Stevenson is he doesn't
24:45
carry his at bats behind the plate." Um,
24:48
I was a catcher and I had a really hard
24:49
time with that and I wasn't good at it.
24:51
Took me probably until I was a senior.
24:52
He's only a sophomore and that's why
24:54
he's led so so well. I mean, how about
24:56
the play makes with Olan Johnson? When
24:58
he slips and he spikes a pitch and he
25:00
throws him out, he's locked in
25:01
defensively. Um, and that can be hard
25:04
when you feel like, hey, like I'm not
25:06
doing my part, quote offensively. It's
25:09
easy to be pressing and carry it back
25:11
there and a lot of catchers do, but he's
25:13
the leader of our pitching staff. He is
25:15
the definition of a work a workhorse and
25:18
he's another guy like in all reality,
25:20
you know, I know he's a high draft
25:22
prospect. So, I'm just enjoying being
25:25
around him and watching him be so
25:27
professional behind the play. Scott,
25:29
Scott, can you talk a little bit more
25:31
about what Arizona does specifically
25:33
well and how you guys plan on kind of
25:34
attacking that? You know, they're just a
25:37
good team top to bottom. Uh they sit
25:40
back a little bit offensively. Um,
25:42
rarely do they try to do certain things
25:45
uh that some teams may do, but they've
25:48
got some power. They can hit the ball
25:50
out of the park, so you have to make
25:51
your pitches. Um, you going to be in
25:54
more shifts potentially get against
25:55
them. So, you have to be careful being
25:57
greedy, always going for the double play
25:59
because if you're in a shift, you're
26:00
just trying to grab outs. Uh, and I
26:02
think I think one of the biggest
26:04
challenges
26:05
is on the mound, they give you a lot of
26:08
different looks. So, if they make a
26:10
change, the pitcher that's coming in is
26:12
going to be a lot different than the
26:13
pitcher that was just in. And that's
26:15
where you have to completely buy into
26:17
the approach that Coach Wears big and
26:19
coach Jackson are talking to you about
26:21
as you're going into the box. Thanks,
26:24
coach. Thank y'all.
News
Sports News
Sports
College Sports