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Miami Hurricanes Athletics

Everything Miami Said Post Game After Victory over Louisville in Super Regionals

Head Coach J.D. Arteaga
Opening Statement
"I've been saying it all year, this team is special. There's something about this team, there's no quit in it. Every day is a new day, 0-0 and they showed it today. We got down early and responded right away. It was a gutsy performance across the board from guys like [Carson] Fischer and [Brian] Walters there at the end. He just didn't have his best stuff, and I said yesterday, I'm not sure how he's going to affect the hitters, but whatever he's got, he's going to use it to the best of his ability and if it doesn't work, he's going to get beat, but he's not going to beat himself. This guy here to my right (Jake Ogden) decided to show up today… we had a huge game from him, leading off offensively with that double in the beginning and that play in the ninth inning – people don't see that – very similar to the play he made during the regional championship game, a slow roller coming in and he got a big out, Next guy hits a home run, but we keep it a one-run lead. So that was a good play by him. And guys like [Jake] Kulikowski, a kid who hasn't played all year a whole lot, but he keeps grinding away and working hard, never complains, always in a good mood, always in a good place and he gets an opportunity today and gets two big hits. I can go on and on about these guys. I love group and we're playing at least one more day of baseball."


On the starting pitcher for Miami on Sunday
"It will be all hands on deck, but it will be a right-hander, probably (Reese) Lumpkin or (Tate) DiRias. I am not sure yet. It will be all hands on deck. We made a decision yesterday with (AJ) Ciscar with 40 pitches, to take him out. There were one of two things we could have done, either stay out there and take one for the team and not blow up the bull pen. But being a freshman, he has had a great year for us I don't want to ruin anything by leaving him out there too long. So, we decided to take him out of there and maybe he can come back and steal some outs tomorrow (Sunday). I think he could pitch an inning or two."


On Daniel Cuvet
"I think he was pressing a little bit. I think he has been pressing throughout the postseason so far. Yesterday, I told him after they intentionally walked him at his third at-bat, I said, 'you are struggling right now but they still respect you so much that they still walked you".  That tells you what kind of hitter you are and you don't have to do too much, just get a barrel on it. He had a lot of pitches to hit. He was overswinging, kind of like he was doing early in the season. He kept his hands back long enough on what I think was a changeup, and he put a barrel on it and not many parks in the country can hold him in. This game is hard. He is saying the right thing. 'I am not pressing, I am not pressing' until I said just admit it. You aren't the first or last guy to do it. It is okay. But you have to accept that you are so you can make an adjustment and change. Hopefully that last at-bat carries over until tomorrow.”


On leaving a lefty in to face him
I don't know what their situation is, but I do know if there was just a man on second base they would have walked him to the base. That was a huge hit by (Max) Galvin to make it first and second. I told Max at Southern Miss, our biggest games revolve around him. He is not driving in runs but he is getting on base and put (Daniel) Cuvet in a position where he and Dorian Gonzales can do some damage."

On how Coach and today's performance gave him a boost of confidence going forward

Jake Ogden: "Yeah, it's part of the game. You know, not every game's going to go the way you want to. And that's the beauty of this game, is that there's always a tomorrow, and we got it tomorrow."

On the momentum shift in the fourth inning, and his approach to at bat for his home run

Jake Ogden: "Yeah, I was seeing the ball well today. I got a pitch to hit then it went over the fence.”

On the changes were made for the approach to pitching

Brain Walters: "Just to continue to trust ourselves. You know, we've done all year long. The coaches have big faith in us. We were excited to get back out there and prove to them that we were on the pitching staff that we are, and it was accepted. So, we're excited."

On approach to getting through the three four with Eddie King, Jr. and Zion Rose
Brian Walters: 
"Absolutely, I attribute to my front teammates coming up to me there in the ninth and saying, 'you're the guy we want', 'we rally around you, man', and 'we're here for you to make a play for you'. And really settle the nerves there. I mean, those are great hitters, right? Those are really very talented people. So, to have my teammates behind me, that meant everything to me and just continue to battle. Laz [Gutierrez] came up and said, you know, we're going to ride it out and that's the whole goal."

More Miami Hurricanes Baseball News:

This article first appeared on Miami Hurricanes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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