Feb. 17, 2015
Left Fielder Elliott Caldwell
On hitting key three-run triple
“I hate to be cliché and everything, but I can’t take all the credit. God did everything tonight. He’s been here the past year helping me with everything I`ve been going through with my back. It’s amazing what he’s doing with my life. Bases loaded I got behind and I was just trying to protect, and he left one over the plate, and I just took advantage.”
On his injuries
” I feel 100 percent, my back isn’t giving me any problems. I’ve hit the cage every day, and I’m doing my hip and back exercises everyday to make sure I stay healthy all year and it’s really been beneficial that I can get into the cage everyday, and no injury means I can get into the cage and swing as many as I want, or as many as I need, which has really helped me in games.”
Right-handed pitcher Clarke Schmidt
On mentality coming into game
“As soon as I got out there I knew my role was to come in and throw strikes, especially with a defense behind me like that. All you have to do is throw strikes, so credit to them. All I wanted to do was get outs, I mean you have to keep the score in mind, but you just have to make plays and make outs and that’s all you can do as a pitcher.”
On role on team moving forward
“As for right now, I’m just (pitching) in the role I am asked, in relief or anyway I can help my team win. I’ I’m just going to go out there and do the job the best I can.”
Head Coach Chad Holbrook
Opening Statement
“We certainly did enough to win the game today, even though it wasn’t good enough offensively, I don’t think we were good enough throughout the course of the game. Luckily, Elliott Caldwell was in the lineup, and he carried us offensively especially with that big hit with the bases loaded. We had some good swings and passes at it, one kid made a great play on Gene [Cone] in the first at bat of the game, that could have been a triple or double. We squared a few more balls up but it wasn’t quite good enough. I think the thing I take away from this game is what Clarke Schmidt and Brandon Murray did as well as what Elliott Caldwell did offensively. I think I’ve been saying for a while that Clarke and Brandon have the chance to be a big part of the future here, they have good arms, good demeanor and they compete. Their out there in a new environment and new situations, and they’re freshmen, but I sit there as their coach and I don’t feel like they’re freshmen when they’re in the game. They have a calming influence on me, and that’s a great compliment to a freshman. For the most part we played decently, we were just okay today, but we won the game, and we’ll try to get better on Thursday in practice, and get ready for the weekend and try to improve over the weekend.”
On Elliot Caldwell’s performance
“I mean he went 4-for-4, I’m glad I played him today. I mean if I made one good decision tonight that was it. He carried us offensively. Elliot’s been swinging the bat very well. If you watch him in batting practice, even the game he started over the weekend against the College of Charleston, I felt like he had good at bats. He didn’t have anything to show for it, but he squared the ball up in the gap. He’s been swinging the bat with a physical strong presence. Elliot’s been doing a lot better, he’s got a great attitude and I’m really happy for him.”
