Southern Miss needed Tuesday night's game more than Tulane and played like it, getting outstanding hitting, defense and pitching out of the bullpen to beat the Green Wave 8-4 for the second time this season. The Golden Eagles won their 10th straight overall and 10th straight midweek game, but the games that really matter for the Wave start Thursday at Memphis.
Here is a sampling of what coach David Pierce and his players had to say:
PIERCE
On Tim Yandel's shaky performance, when he allowed six runs in 3.1 innings, meaning he has given up 27 runs his last 26.1 innings after a terrific start to the season.
"He's fighting some confidence right now. As soon as something bad happens, he's searching instead of competing. He'll be back. He's going to have to regain some form if he's going to help us in the tournament. We have confidence in him, and we're going to need him."
On Eric Steel having to come out in the middle of the second batter he faced:
"He's been a little banged up. He was only going to go the rest of that inning, so he was only in a short two-out inning relief. It was concerning, but he said, 'coach, I can go,' so we took a shot at it and he couldn't."
On getting past loss:
"This will be a clean sweep. We'll get past this. We're ready for a bus ride. We're excited about going to Memphis."
On talking to team about stakes of series:
"Right now I don't have to because they know the stakes. In the past I've been kind of building them up for this, but right now they understand the whole picture. It's going to be an exciting weekend hopefully."
On significance of USM game:
"This was how I looked at it. If we did well here and then poorly in the weekend, this game wouldn't have mattered. If we lose this one and do well this weekend, I think we're in good shape."
On Memphis struggling in first game of conference series (0-7 this year):
"We can't view it like that because they are a quality team. We had some struggles early and then we won three in a row (opening games of series). It's just about two guys toeing it up and making the routine plays and getting some clutch hits."
On whether a series win would put Tulane in good shape for a regional:
"There are so many things throughout the country that create the variables. I think we have to win the series to have a shot."
On Sam Bjorngjeld going 4.2 innings and not allowing a run in third appearance of year:
"This was not just a token outing for Sam. Like we've been talking about all year, we're searching for guys that can help us in the conference series or in the tournament. He was remarkable tonight."
LEX KAPLAN
On Memphis series:
"I'm really excited. It's going to be like a playoff situation. We need to win the series. That's the bottom line. We're going to go out there. I think we're going to do it. We looked good offensively tonight (10 hits) and our starting pitching has been good. We're just going to go out there and be relaxed, not too tense and we'll be all right."
On stakes:
"The way I'm looking at it, if we win the series and do decent in the (AAC) tournament, we'll be in there, hopefully playing LSU at the Box. I'd like that."
HUNTER WILLIAMS
On what need to do at Memphis:
"We need to win as many games as we can and definitely win the series.We'll do whatever we can to put ourselves in a good position and let the cards fall in place."
COREY MERRILL
On talking about regional chances:
"We're definitely talking about it a lot. Last year we struggled a little bit and didn't even get the opportunity to play for a regional late in the season. Now that we have a chance, we know Memphis is a big series coming up. If we win that series and hopefully get a sweep, we know we'll have a really good shot at getting an at-large. This (loss) happened. So what. Let's move on to Memphis. We have a little chip on our shoulder and the motivation to get through it."
On Thursday being biggest game he's faced:
"It definitely has the most meaning now that it's coming down to the end, but this game means the same as it did five weeks ago. It's all the same thing. It's all conference. Now that it's so close, it's kind of built up a little bit more, and the main thing to do is just keep your composure and (treat it as) just another game and do everything you can to prepare for it."
On team rebounding from 12-0 loss to USF last Friday to win next two:
"I expected to bounce back like that. This team has a lot of heart and a lot of fight in them. The big thing was we had a rough one, and when something like that happens at home and you get embarrassed like that, it's going to take something off of your head. We came out and fought very well."
Here is a sampling of what coach David Pierce and his players had to say:
PIERCE
On Tim Yandel's shaky performance, when he allowed six runs in 3.1 innings, meaning he has given up 27 runs his last 26.1 innings after a terrific start to the season.
"He's fighting some confidence right now. As soon as something bad happens, he's searching instead of competing. He'll be back. He's going to have to regain some form if he's going to help us in the tournament. We have confidence in him, and we're going to need him."
On Eric Steel having to come out in the middle of the second batter he faced:
"He's been a little banged up. He was only going to go the rest of that inning, so he was only in a short two-out inning relief. It was concerning, but he said, 'coach, I can go,' so we took a shot at it and he couldn't."
On getting past loss:
"This will be a clean sweep. We'll get past this. We're ready for a bus ride. We're excited about going to Memphis."
On talking to team about stakes of series:
"Right now I don't have to because they know the stakes. In the past I've been kind of building them up for this, but right now they understand the whole picture. It's going to be an exciting weekend hopefully."
On significance of USM game:
"This was how I looked at it. If we did well here and then poorly in the weekend, this game wouldn't have mattered. If we lose this one and do well this weekend, I think we're in good shape."
On Memphis struggling in first game of conference series (0-7 this year):
"We can't view it like that because they are a quality team. We had some struggles early and then we won three in a row (opening games of series). It's just about two guys toeing it up and making the routine plays and getting some clutch hits."
On whether a series win would put Tulane in good shape for a regional:
"There are so many things throughout the country that create the variables. I think we have to win the series to have a shot."
On Sam Bjorngjeld going 4.2 innings and not allowing a run in third appearance of year:
"This was not just a token outing for Sam. Like we've been talking about all year, we're searching for guys that can help us in the conference series or in the tournament. He was remarkable tonight."
LEX KAPLAN
On Memphis series:
"I'm really excited. It's going to be like a playoff situation. We need to win the series. That's the bottom line. We're going to go out there. I think we're going to do it. We looked good offensively tonight (10 hits) and our starting pitching has been good. We're just going to go out there and be relaxed, not too tense and we'll be all right."
On stakes:
"The way I'm looking at it, if we win the series and do decent in the (AAC) tournament, we'll be in there, hopefully playing LSU at the Box. I'd like that."
HUNTER WILLIAMS
On what need to do at Memphis:
"We need to win as many games as we can and definitely win the series.We'll do whatever we can to put ourselves in a good position and let the cards fall in place."
COREY MERRILL
On talking about regional chances:
"We're definitely talking about it a lot. Last year we struggled a little bit and didn't even get the opportunity to play for a regional late in the season. Now that we have a chance, we know Memphis is a big series coming up. If we win that series and hopefully get a sweep, we know we'll have a really good shot at getting an at-large. This (loss) happened. So what. Let's move on to Memphis. We have a little chip on our shoulder and the motivation to get through it."
On Thursday being biggest game he's faced:
"It definitely has the most meaning now that it's coming down to the end, but this game means the same as it did five weeks ago. It's all the same thing. It's all conference. Now that it's so close, it's kind of built up a little bit more, and the main thing to do is just keep your composure and (treat it as) just another game and do everything you can to prepare for it."
On team rebounding from 12-0 loss to USF last Friday to win next two:
"I expected to bounce back like that. This team has a lot of heart and a lot of fight in them. The big thing was we had a rough one, and when something like that happens at home and you get embarrassed like that, it's going to take something off of your head. We came out and fought very well."