Tulane will play its first game against a team from North Dakota tomorrow. North Dakota State nearly beat LSU on Tuesday, leading 7-1 at one point before the Tigers finally went ahead in the bottom of the eighth for an 11-9 victory. LSU won in the more expected fashion yesterday, 13-3, leaving North Dakota State with one win in 12 games against a ridiculously demanding schedule. Tulane needs to sweep this series.
I talked to Jay Uhlman, Michael Lombardi and the surprisingly strong Tayler Montiel yesterday after a morning practice:
UHLMAN
On California trip:
"We had four really tightly contested games, good pitching, good defense, took timely hitting, execution with hitting and running, safeties, drags, a lot of West Coast baseball going on in parks that are not conducive to offense. Really thrilled with how we pitched and especially how we salvaged the series and won on Monday, too. Looking to bounce back this week at home. We got back in the wee hours last night and the guys rested up all day yesterday, and here we are today."
On consistent pitching:
"Really good. Like I said before, we thought the strength was going to be our bullpen. We knew what Luke (Fladda) was going to give us and he actually continues to outpitch those expectations with a lot more strikeouts. His numbers are really good, and to be able to get Trey (Cehajic) into that Saturday role. He's pitching tremendous, and then we kind of like TBA on Sunday. That gives us some flexibility out there, and then J.D. (Rodriguez) pitched a whale of a game on Monday--no-hit ball through five and that was really a big thing for us to have him do that, and then we're getting different contributions from guys in the back end. Montiel has been tremendous. Lombardi's been spectacular. J Bob (Jacob Moore) continues to give us an inning. I'd like to get him going a little bit more through than just one inning. (Carter) Benbrook's been awesome, and so as the group as a whole. Just really thrilled about the pitching staff.
On Montiel having to earn his way onto the roster in the fall and preseason and terrible first two years at Tulane:
"He was. That's really the neat story of that. The thing I love about him is he's honest with himself, what he needs to get better at, what he needs to do and now you're seeing his talent come to fruition. It's taken longer than all of us wanted, but sometimes that's how the game is."
On flashes of potential in the past:
"Yeah, and he's left-handed. It's hard to find left-handers that are throwing 94 and 95 with a real breaking ball. It's just a matter of could he harness it. He's worked really hard and I'm really proud of him."
On Jason Wachs status:
"He should be (back). He came out and ran. He's been hitting. Cautionary. We kept him out. He ran again today. I imagine he's going to be back."
On what most proud of thus far:
"It's cliche, but it's the truth. I think our process is really good. The way we treat each other as teammates is great. Those two things are components of really good teams because we're going to have really good players sitting on the bench, and if they're not great teammates and they are not ready for their opportunity, we can't mix and match and get production off the bench, so whoever's name's in that starting lineup, our guys have been able to separate and do their jobs, and that goes for the pitching staff as well. Just really pleased with that mentality they've carried."
On steady trajectory that he believes is sustainable since his first year:
"The transfer portal really helps us. That's the big, sustainable piece with our cost of education and our scholarship (totals) not going up any time soon, our ability to get into the portal and have demonstrated success with guys that have come from Power 4s, and not all from Power 4s, but mostly from there, here, development, win, get a chance to play professionally, those things bode well for us. Families are able to justify spending the kind of money it takes to come to a school like Tulane for one year or two years as opposed to four. Just really getting the right kind of guys in the program. The assistants have done a great job in the recruiting piece and really infused the roster with big, physical, talented, team-oriented guys."
On rotation for weekend:
"It will be Fladda, Cehajik and TBD."
MICHAEL LOMBARDI
On the way the extended weekend ended:
"It felt good. The first two games were tough. Credit to Pepperdine. Their pitchers were getting after it and throwing strikes. I really felt a lot of stuff was out of our control. The process was good. We played good baseball and sometimes you get the short end of the stick, but it was a good weekend for us. Going forward we're in a good spot."
On his two saves:
"I felt good. Coming in from the outfield and playing a position and getting on the mound, you are in the flow of the game and your competitive juices are flowing and I kind of just leaned into that a little bit, especially in a big spot."
On three straight strikeouts with breaking ball when batters (two from Pepperdine, one from Long Beach State) did not move a muscle:
"It's a good feeling. It's always more fun to throw fastballs by people. We've been doing a good job and Izz calls an incredible game."
On Monday pressure situation:
"Just compete. I told James (Agabedis), who was playing third base, let's make them earn it. We were playing way in taking away the bunt and I knew that I was going to attack the strike zone and go after them and see what happened. I knew I was going to go out there swinging."
On how he warms up during games:
"Most of my prep happens pre-game, doing all my drill work and making sure I'm ready to go. You can see sometimes they are throwing balls out to center field, and I kind of have gotten a good sense of when my number's going to be called and if there's a chance I'm going to throw, so before the next inning starts I'll throw a couple of changeups and breaking balls to (Tanner) Chun (centerfielder) at Matthias (Haas) the other day, and they did a good job catching them. I try to get a few pitches in if I can and then just go out there and be an athlete on the mound."
On upper limit on fastball:
"My fastball is mid-90s."
On recovering from first two losses to Pepperdine:
"Even after those first two losses. the coaches were stressing to go out to the park with energy. Losing a game or two, that shouldn't change the way you go about your business or the joy you play the game with, so that was pretty special to go out there, have fun and get the wins."
On growth during the year:
"Growth is a good word. Some people lose sight of the fact that is a time to develop, even during the season, and it's not mutually exclusive. You are competing four or five times a week, but still you have an opportunity on off days in pre-game and during the game to get better as a player. That growth mindset has been huge for us."
On getting down 3-0 Saturday:
"I don't think there was really any panic. I felt good. Baseball's a frustrating game. Sometimes you can square a ball up, hit it right and it just finds a hole and the next inning you can get jammed and it falls in short right field for a hit, so you can't really get too consumed with the results. Our whole lineup did a good job of sticking to our approach and our game plan and playing with our hair on fire."
On cementing status as closer:
"I know there are a lot of guys that can do it and will do it if their number is called. It's a good feeling. I feel the trust from my coaches and teammates, and I hope that they feel the same way because when they are on the mound I have nothing but belief that they are going to go get it done."
I talked to Jay Uhlman, Michael Lombardi and the surprisingly strong Tayler Montiel yesterday after a morning practice:
UHLMAN
On California trip:
"We had four really tightly contested games, good pitching, good defense, took timely hitting, execution with hitting and running, safeties, drags, a lot of West Coast baseball going on in parks that are not conducive to offense. Really thrilled with how we pitched and especially how we salvaged the series and won on Monday, too. Looking to bounce back this week at home. We got back in the wee hours last night and the guys rested up all day yesterday, and here we are today."
On consistent pitching:
"Really good. Like I said before, we thought the strength was going to be our bullpen. We knew what Luke (Fladda) was going to give us and he actually continues to outpitch those expectations with a lot more strikeouts. His numbers are really good, and to be able to get Trey (Cehajic) into that Saturday role. He's pitching tremendous, and then we kind of like TBA on Sunday. That gives us some flexibility out there, and then J.D. (Rodriguez) pitched a whale of a game on Monday--no-hit ball through five and that was really a big thing for us to have him do that, and then we're getting different contributions from guys in the back end. Montiel has been tremendous. Lombardi's been spectacular. J Bob (Jacob Moore) continues to give us an inning. I'd like to get him going a little bit more through than just one inning. (Carter) Benbrook's been awesome, and so as the group as a whole. Just really thrilled about the pitching staff.
On Montiel having to earn his way onto the roster in the fall and preseason and terrible first two years at Tulane:
"He was. That's really the neat story of that. The thing I love about him is he's honest with himself, what he needs to get better at, what he needs to do and now you're seeing his talent come to fruition. It's taken longer than all of us wanted, but sometimes that's how the game is."
On flashes of potential in the past:
"Yeah, and he's left-handed. It's hard to find left-handers that are throwing 94 and 95 with a real breaking ball. It's just a matter of could he harness it. He's worked really hard and I'm really proud of him."
On Jason Wachs status:
"He should be (back). He came out and ran. He's been hitting. Cautionary. We kept him out. He ran again today. I imagine he's going to be back."
On what most proud of thus far:
"It's cliche, but it's the truth. I think our process is really good. The way we treat each other as teammates is great. Those two things are components of really good teams because we're going to have really good players sitting on the bench, and if they're not great teammates and they are not ready for their opportunity, we can't mix and match and get production off the bench, so whoever's name's in that starting lineup, our guys have been able to separate and do their jobs, and that goes for the pitching staff as well. Just really pleased with that mentality they've carried."
On steady trajectory that he believes is sustainable since his first year:
"The transfer portal really helps us. That's the big, sustainable piece with our cost of education and our scholarship (totals) not going up any time soon, our ability to get into the portal and have demonstrated success with guys that have come from Power 4s, and not all from Power 4s, but mostly from there, here, development, win, get a chance to play professionally, those things bode well for us. Families are able to justify spending the kind of money it takes to come to a school like Tulane for one year or two years as opposed to four. Just really getting the right kind of guys in the program. The assistants have done a great job in the recruiting piece and really infused the roster with big, physical, talented, team-oriented guys."
On rotation for weekend:
"It will be Fladda, Cehajik and TBD."
MICHAEL LOMBARDI
On the way the extended weekend ended:
"It felt good. The first two games were tough. Credit to Pepperdine. Their pitchers were getting after it and throwing strikes. I really felt a lot of stuff was out of our control. The process was good. We played good baseball and sometimes you get the short end of the stick, but it was a good weekend for us. Going forward we're in a good spot."
On his two saves:
"I felt good. Coming in from the outfield and playing a position and getting on the mound, you are in the flow of the game and your competitive juices are flowing and I kind of just leaned into that a little bit, especially in a big spot."
On three straight strikeouts with breaking ball when batters (two from Pepperdine, one from Long Beach State) did not move a muscle:
"It's a good feeling. It's always more fun to throw fastballs by people. We've been doing a good job and Izz calls an incredible game."
On Monday pressure situation:
"Just compete. I told James (Agabedis), who was playing third base, let's make them earn it. We were playing way in taking away the bunt and I knew that I was going to attack the strike zone and go after them and see what happened. I knew I was going to go out there swinging."
On how he warms up during games:
"Most of my prep happens pre-game, doing all my drill work and making sure I'm ready to go. You can see sometimes they are throwing balls out to center field, and I kind of have gotten a good sense of when my number's going to be called and if there's a chance I'm going to throw, so before the next inning starts I'll throw a couple of changeups and breaking balls to (Tanner) Chun (centerfielder) at Matthias (Haas) the other day, and they did a good job catching them. I try to get a few pitches in if I can and then just go out there and be an athlete on the mound."
On upper limit on fastball:
"My fastball is mid-90s."
On recovering from first two losses to Pepperdine:
"Even after those first two losses. the coaches were stressing to go out to the park with energy. Losing a game or two, that shouldn't change the way you go about your business or the joy you play the game with, so that was pretty special to go out there, have fun and get the wins."
On growth during the year:
"Growth is a good word. Some people lose sight of the fact that is a time to develop, even during the season, and it's not mutually exclusive. You are competing four or five times a week, but still you have an opportunity on off days in pre-game and during the game to get better as a player. That growth mindset has been huge for us."
On getting down 3-0 Saturday:
"I don't think there was really any panic. I felt good. Baseball's a frustrating game. Sometimes you can square a ball up, hit it right and it just finds a hole and the next inning you can get jammed and it falls in short right field for a hit, so you can't really get too consumed with the results. Our whole lineup did a good job of sticking to our approach and our game plan and playing with our hair on fire."
On cementing status as closer:
"I know there are a lot of guys that can do it and will do it if their number is called. It's a good feeling. I feel the trust from my coaches and teammates, and I hope that they feel the same way because when they are on the mound I have nothing but belief that they are going to go get it done."