March 15, 2015

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

Head Coach Chad Holbrook

Opening Statement

I’m kind of speechless to be quite honest. It was a great college baseball game, there was a lot of emotional swings. Two outs in the bottom of the ninth, we were a couple pitches away here and there a couple of times, a couple strikes away here and there and Kentucky wouldn’t quit. They battled us until the end. (Kyle) Barrett, who I think the world of as a player, got a big hit to tie the game up. Then he scored from second on a ground ball to short to take the lead. Things didn’t look good for us at that point and then Elliott Caldwell gets a home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie it up. How we got out of that inning in the top of the 10th is beyond me. Bases loaded with a 3-0 count, 99.9 percent chance Kentucky would score a run in that situation, but Taylor Widener bowed his neck. It took a lot of courage (from Taylor) and a lot of toughness to throw some strikes in that count. They (Kentucky) hit a ball at us and we ended up getting out of it. It’s just an incredible college baseball game. I’m so happy for Kyle Martin and Connor Bright, he (Connor) had a great at-bat there and he almost won the game for us with a homerun. He hasn’t been playing every day but he’s handled it like a profressional. I told Kyle and the team after the game, Kyle turned down a fair amount of money to come back to school and experience moments like that. I think the world of Kyle Martin. From a pitching standpoint, Clarke Schmidt did well for his first SEC start. He kept us in the game; I thought he pitched phenomenally well. Vince Fiori, Cody Mincey and Taylor Widener battled and competed and we were lucky enough to get the win.

On the difficulty of playing in the SEC

You try to explain it to the team before it happens and they don’t quite understand it. Then it happens and they say, oh boy. The game is never over until you get the 27th out, no matter what the score. You never feel comfortable because you have so much respect for the other team. You have to make plays. We had the right guy up at the right time today. He (Kyle Martin) obviously put a big swing on it. It was a great college baseball game. This is what SEC college baseball is all about. I’m glad out seniors stepped up today, two seniors really. Elliot and Kyle got big hits for us and helped us win the game.

Senior First Baseman Kyle Martin

On his home run

Well I got down by two and at that point I was trying to put a good swing on it and get a line drive somewhere. He left a fastball up in the end and I put a good swing on it

Senior Outfielder Elliot Caldwell

On today’s win

That was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been a part of. I’m just humbled to be a part of this team and be a part of this win and a part of this university. That was one of the biggest team wins I’ve ever been a part of. (Taylor) Widener didn’t have his best stuff but he goes 3-0 with the bases loaded and he just gutted it out. That takes a lot of toughness. That’s all today was, toughness and guts. In the end we came out as winners.

Freshmen Right-Hander Clarke Schmidt

On his first SEC start

I didn’t really feel any pressure, I knew I had to go out there and do whatever I could do to keep my team in the game. I knew I had to go out there and throw strikes.