University of North Carolina Athletics
Maine 4, FIU 1 Quotes
June 4, 2011 | Baseball
June 4, 2011
Maine Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Steve Trimper
Opening Statement
"The Maine Black Bears played a great baseball game today. I thought we played a great baseball game last night. We just didn't get the big hit. Today, we were able to manufacture a few runs, and obviously, we got great pitching. What can I say about Jeff Gibbs here going out there and pitching to our plan. I'll be open about it. We wanted to go after [FIU] with sliders. We thought they were a little bit more of a free swinging team. If you noticed, Jeff started a lot of their lineup--it doesn't matter if it was number one or number nine--out with a slider. He really had that today, and he was also throwing some change-ups out there and obviously spotting some fastballs. He did a great job keeping us in the ballgame and gave our offense an ability to chip away, unlike last night's ballgame when we were down four runs early so it was kind of tough when we got our guys on to bunt later in the game and try to manufacture runs. Today he gave us that ability to steal some bases and manufacture runs the way we have been which is moving guys around, bunting, hit and running and stealing bases.
Sophomore Pitcher Jeffrey Gibbs
On his pitching performance:
"It was definitely a good one, but I definitely can't take all that credit. Most of the credit has to go to the defense. The infielders played great today. I've definitely got to thank my catcher, Tyler Patzalek. He did a great job. Most of it goes to the team. I would say that I didn't have that big of a part in it."
Sophomore Catcher Tyler Patzalek
On Gibbs' Pitching:
"Jeff is being a little too humble. He did a great job today, obviously putting up a bunch of zeroes. Just like Coach Trimper said, we were working off that slider and I've never seen someone control their slider like he did today. He had it working in and out. When he had to go to his fastball, he got to it. He threw lots of strikes and pounded the zone, which was exactly what he needed to help us win the ballgame. You're not going to win the game with zero or one runs. Especially with a team like us that has the strength in offense that we do. He gave us a good chance to get a good one and we did. It was great teamwork overall."
FIU Head Coach: Turtle Thomas
Opening Statement:
"For that game I think you could say, `[Jeffrey] Gibbs, Gibbs and Gibbs. He pitched an outstanding game, moved the ball around, mixed up three pitches. He was very, very good today. And we just didn't get very many good swings off of him, didn't square many balls up. And he was kind of a horse today, like a couple guys we've seen this year in our league. He was strong even in the ninth inning, I'm sure he could have completed the game.
I would certainly like to convey that our guys have played hard all year, they deserve to be here. We haven't been successful in the regionals the last two years. But I think if we keep knocking on the door, sooner or later, we're going to knock that door down and start doing some damage in the regionals
CF Pablo Bermudez
On finding success at the plate with two hits on the day:
"It was one of those days where [Gibbs] was just on; on every point. You've just got to hope that he makes a mistake, because when a pitcher is on like that it is hard to get anything going. He was definitely pitching well today. So it was hard, but he left a fastball over the plate in the first inning and I got a good piece of it. And I got a good piece of one off the closer [in the ninth]. It's one of those games where you have to keep battling and battling and try to get a pitch you can do something with. Other than that, you've just got to tip your hat to him."
C Jose Behar:
On being knocked out of the regionals for the third consecutive year:
"It's frustrating. We got hot at the right time, at the end of the year. And, you know, hitting just didn't come through today. You've got to tip your cap off. Phil [Haig] had a great performance and we just didn't give him any support. But he held us in there a while. And he's tough pitching without getting any support, but you've got to tip your cap to [Gibbs]. As much as I hate to say it, he kept us off balance all day and did a great job against us."
