New Mexico State 14, UNLV 12
"We've prided our entire season, and the reason we are here, is because we have had really good timely hitting. With the exception of (Robert) Vankirk's double in the last inning, if they don't walk us, we're not in it. We just didn't swing the bat well today. We had 13 hits in an 11 inning ballgame and we left 12 on. I told our team last week, in a tournament setting, just like in any setting, you have to flush a win just as quick as you flush a loss. If you don't, then it's over with. We're not going to dwell on this. We'll hopefully be back tomorrow and have better at-bats throughout the lineup and take advantage of our opportunities. "This was very similar to the games that we've been playing all year long. I don't really see this as a lesson of any sort. I felt like our attitude in the dugout was the same as it has been all year. It's not like we were playing in front of seven or eight thousand people. The atmosphere didn't have an impact on us; this was just a normal game.
On opponent's pitching: "In the NCAA tournament, it doesn't matter who you play, you're going to face good pitching throughout. They made pitches when they had to make pitches and we couldn't get anything to fall in. With the exception of where they walked everybody, we didn't cash in on a big inning, and of course, they did. But we didn't do a good job of getting the third out. That's been the Achilles heel of our pitching staff all year long."
"The best thing about baseball is that you get the chance to come back tomorrow and play. I went 0-for-6 today, it was tough on me, but I was ready to go every at-bat. I never hung my head or threw my helmet in the dugout. I didn't start talking to my bat or any of that. I knew I was going to come up in clutch situations and hit. Sometimes, it falls in. Sometimes it doesn't. It didn't fall in today. "I look it as more fun. We get to play more ball games now. Instead of playing three, we get to play five. I take it as a challenge. We're going to have to use all our arms in the bullpen and everyone on the bench is going to have to contribute. I think things are going to go very well for us tomorrow."
On the game-ending strikeout: "I felt it was outside, which is why I didn't swing, but the umpire makes the calls and you have to deal with it. We'll be ready to go tomorrow.
On his error in the 11th inning: "I played myself into a bad hop. It was my fault and it's frustrating. But you have got to just keep playing and come out and get the next one. When you play every day, you're going to make errors. "I think I deal with errors very well, I've made a lot this year, so I'm used to it. It's nothing new. It happens every day you play baseball."
"It was an exhausting baseball game, but it was pretty important to this program. The first regional victory is very difficult to get, and we got it the hard way. Everybody probably had a lot of doubt but to be able to overcome that type of breakdown and stay solid and get back in the game is a tribute to how strong these kids are."
Regarding the double play: "We were due that play. There have been plays for us like that for three weeks now that hasn't bounced our way. That was a tough play to make. Gavin Monjaras has had a couple of plays up to this point that he hasn't made and making that play was great for him."
About playing in his home town: "This game was just big for the team, I tried to go out there and set a tone. My first at bat, he just hung a curve ball and I was able to drive that out of the park. This is just a great team to play on. To play in front of my family again was really a lot of fun."
"We were the first ones to score in the game, so I felt as though we needed to be the first ones to score when the game was tied. So I just kept with throwing strikes, they didn't always come, but I just tried to limit the balls. I just wanted to give my team a chance to win; we were in the game offensively the entire game. I just felt as though something was going to come our way the later the game got."