May 28, 2000
NEVADA
Head Coach Gary Powers (opening comments): "We have nobody to blame butourselves. We had to plenty of opportunities to score runs and didn't takeadvantage of it. We had a critical error that cost us two runs and we gotbeat by one."
(on Rainer): "He did a helluva job. He had commnd of the game. The four runsthey got thy didn't do anything to get, except for the home run. You have togive the kid credit. He hit an 0-2 pitch and up to that point I think hepitched a great game. He certainly pitched well enough to win the game. Wedidn't give him the support he needed to win the game."
Matt Rainer (on home run): "It was the only pitch I thnk I really made amistke on the whole day. I tried to get it in the dirt and it slipped alittle bit, and left it in the strike zone."
(on your rhythm): "I felt prety good. The defense besides the one error dida real good job staying down on ground balls and making plays when we neededto make them. Donny made two or three big plays that saved possibly biginnings. Give him credit for the plays he made behind me."
ALABAMA
Head Coach Jim Wells (opening comments): "Blankenship saved us. We wereplaying poorly, kind of going through the motions. Blank gave us a greatperformance and the two-run home run by Gulledge, without them, we would bethrough. We are very happy to win. Those two guys made a difference."
(on coming back after loss): "In years past we have always come back. I wasconcerned with the errors and guys seemed to be dropping out like flys frominjuries. To Sam's credit he hung in there tough and was able to finish thegame. I thought we should have come out stronger. Without Blankenship wecould have gotten beat 10-2.
Sam Bozanich (on coming back from loss): "It was a little tough gettingstarted coming back from that loss to Stanford,because we were puttingeverything into it in the 9th. We thought we had it. The guy came up with abig hit. It was a big emotional let down. Coming back and playing nine moreinnings was tough. We were tired. We were a little lax and laid back andthey jumped on top. We were able to get a couple runs and fortunately theymade that throwing error and picked up another two and we were hangingclose. Blank(enship) came in and he really shut the door on them."
(on having to use a lot of pitchers): "Some guys are going to have to stepup. There are some guys that haven't really pitched a whole lot all year aregoing to have to step up. We are going to have to come out and put some runson the board. Stanford definitely has the advantage not using much of theirstaff.
Kelley Gulledge (on home run): "I was up there trying to get the bat on theball and he threw a slider and left it up a little bit.
Jonathan Blankenship (on outing): "My arm felt good tonight. I came outthere down 5-0 so I had nothing to lose, so I went out there and wasaggressive. I threw strikes and didn't get into jams. It was good to have abreaking ball tonight, hitting spots.