ALABAMA BASEBALL: NCAA Regional Notes and Quotes
5/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 30, 2008
Conway, S.C. - ALABAMA BASEBALL NCAA TOURNAMENT QUOTES Alabama vs. East Carolina - May 30, 2008 - Conway Regional
Alabama Head Coach Jim Wells: "This was a great game for us, a good clean game. We had good offense, good pitching and good defense. I think this was the first time all year we've player well in all areas.
On Coastal Carolina: "Our coaches came over and watched them play today. They have a really good tea. They have a good leadoff hitter and two guys in the middle of the lineup that are both real good."
On possible starter vs. Coastal Carolina: "Miers Quigley is a possibility. We will check with him again (about lower back pain) and make a decision tomorrow."
On Alabama's offense: "Our offense is really good and it's been good for a long time. I'm used to seeing it, what I'm not used to seeing is all the other facets in with it. I've always trusted our offense. We take good swings, even when we make an out. We're going to score runs."
Senior 1B Matt Bentley: "We up to the plate looking for fastballs. We got fastballs and we put the bat on the ball. Normally when we take (batting practice), we put on a show, but today it really wasn't. We had rounds today where the ball didn't seem to carry, but tonight the ball left the yard.
On team's confidence: "Sure, we're a confident team. We are one of the great teams in the country right now. We played well the second half of the season. The turnaround point was the last six weeks of the season. We have confidence. We stepped into the (batters) box ready to hit."
Junior RHP Austin Hyatt: "I was pretty good. It was like last week, I just stuck with my game plan and threw first-pitch strikes and for the most part, and went after them with fastballs early. It was good enough."
On tonight's offense: "We swung the bats great tonight. We have a powerful offense. As the pitcher, it was great to see."
NCAA REGIONAL GAME NOTES:
*Alabama's starting lineup consisted of seven players who were making their NCAA Tournament debut. The list included shortstop Josh Rutledge, second baseman Ross Wilson, DH Brandon May, left fielder Tyler Odle, third baseman Jake Smith, center fielder Alex Kubal and pitcher Austin Hyatt. Sophomore Del Howell also made his NCAA Regional debut as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.
*Alabama's 16-3 win over East Carolina was the largest margin of victory in an NCAA Regional game since drubbing Navy 16-3 in the 1999 Tuscaloosa Regional.
*Alabama's 16 runs equaled the third most in school history in an NCAA post-season game. The Tide also scored 16 runs in a 16-3 win over Navy in the 1999 Tuscaloosa Regional.
*The Crimson Tide's 21 hits tied for the second most by the team in an NCAA Regional game. UA also had 21 hits in a 13-5 win over LSU in the 1999 Super Regionals. The 21 hits tied for the second-most in a game this season. The Tide had 21 hits in its 17-7 win over Auburn on April 27.
*Alabama's five home runs equaled the most in a game this season. The Tide also hit five home runs in an 11-6 win at Arkansas on May 3. The five home runs tied for the second-most by UA in an NCAA Tournament game. Alabama also hit five home runs against Southern California in 1997 and Southern Miss in 1999.
*Sophomore third baseman Jake Smith (Shannon, Ala.) hit a three-run home run in his first career NCAA Tournament at bat.
*Junior catcher Alex Avila (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) went 2 for 3 with two runs scored against East Carolina. Avila's fourth inning single was his 200th career hit for the Tide.
*All nine Alabama starters had at least one hit in the win over East Carolina.
*The SEC posted a 3-5 opening day record at the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Here are the results of Friday's games involving SEC teams.
South Carolina 15 Charlotte 8 Raleigh Regional
Missouri 7 Ole Miss 0 Coral Gables Regional
Tulane 7 Florida 4 Tallahassee Regional
LSU 12 Texas Southern 1 Baton Rouge Regional
Lipscomb 10 Georgia 7 Athens Regional
Pepperdine 3 Arkansas 2 Palo Alto Regional
Oklahoma 8 Vanderbilt 5 Tempe Regional
Michigan 5 Kentucky 1 Ann Arbor Regional (Suspended in 5th inning)
-UA-
