Everything Chris Lemonis said after Mississippi State's midweek win over Samford

Mississippi State wasn’t perfect on Tuesday night, but the Bulldogs managed to get another midweek win with its 6-1 outcome against Samford.

After the game Chris Lemonis talked to the media about the pitchers he sent out to the mound, the offense and the catching from Joe Powell.

Question: A lot of weekend guys got out there and pitched. Was this just a get-right game for them?

CL: “We wanted Nate to have some feel good and Ben to have some feel good and we’ve got to get Dane Burns and Mikhai out there more. We were very adamant that we were going to let them run out there and have a good inning and you’re hoping that they do after their performance.”

Q: What did you think of the offense as a whole?

CL: “Not super fired up. I don’t know what it was tonight. We’ve been pretty good lately offensively, but I didn’t think we were great. The double plays, the pitch selection; I really challenged them on the focus level. Sometimes you get in this SEC where you’re playing three big ones on the weekend and then you’re playing on Tuesday night and playing another three and you’ve got to bring it every night. I thought we could have been a little bit better.”

Q: Kevin Mannell gave up a run in the third but came back and got a clean inning. How big was that?

CL: “He came out and scuffled a little bit and we wanted him to have a little bit of success. I thought his second inning he got the leadoff guy and was pretty good when he settled in.”

Q: What did you like from Joe Powell at the plate, especially that big at bat where he got the two-run single?

CL: “I thought it was a huge at bat. I thought it was the play of the game just battling through it and giving us the big swing. After the weekend I really challenged the guys about holding the running game. He throws out two and possibly could have been a third one. I thought he did a really good job.

“I think we got ambushed a little bit Saturday and a lot of it was our pitchers slow to the plate. Joe is usually a really good thrower. Saturday and Sunday might have been the first two days all year that we haven’t thrown out guys. We have to do a better job and obviously we spent about an hour on it (Monday).

“We have the talent to do it. Joe is a good thrower and Ross is a good thrower. Over the weekend, we don’t make two tags. Tonight we make the tags and they stop running. If we make the tags the other night they may stop before it ever got going. But when you steal and you should be out and you get to be safe, you’re going to run again. Then it went haywire on us.”

Q: What is the rule on the play where you move the screen to extend fair territory?

CL: “I think they can move it. I couldn’t see it. I probably shouldn’t have replayed it because there’s no way to see it. We have unbelievable replays but we don’t have it on that spot. The reaction of the fans and my first base coach right as it happened made me think we had a shot there. Once you go to replay, I don’t think they have a good enough look. I don’t even know that rule.”

Q: Hunter Hines had six hits at Oklahoma and had another one tonight. Is there a method to that?

CL: “I don’t know. He’s fighting it every day and trying to get a good at bat. I’m glad he got the big one there. I thought that separated the game and let us breathe a bit because Samford has a good ball club.”

Q: Was it more urgent to get some of those pitchers out there tonight because you have a Thursday-Saturday series and not much time to get ready?

CL: “It’s kind of like they ran out there for their bullpens today. The Thursday week is kind of tricky. I think we’re all looking at it and trying to figure it out. Ben(Davis) has run out there twice and hasn’t been himself. I thought that was the Ben we’ve had in the first month of the season.”

Q: How is Ross Highfill doing?

CL: “Broken nose. He’s very fortunate because it could have been a lot worse. He should be back soon so it’s going to be about what he can tolerate. He’s got a football mask for a helmet now so it will be interesting to watch. I tried to make him wear it all night in the dugout but he refused. He’s doing good. He’s a tough kid. We’re real fortunate. When it first happened, I thought it was straight on.”

Q: How tempting is it to keep guys where they are in the rotation this weekend with the Thursday-Saturday series?

CL: “In the locker room we were talking about it and we figure we’re going to let the media pick the rotation. Is that alright? There’s a lot of variables and we haven’t decided to this point. I think (Justin) Parker has a pretty good idea, but we have to pen, figure out things and how guys feel.

“You love playing on Thursday night because of the exposure for college baseball is great, but what it does to Friday night starters makes it tough. I learned that my first year with Ethan Small and thought that wore him out bouncing back and forth. We’re looking at it. We just want to be what’s good for Pico. I think that’s the most important thing for the long run.”

Q: Noah Sullivan only goes 2.0 innings. Is he still a midweek pitcher or can he pitch on the weekends?

CL: “He could pitch on the weekends – there’s always that possibility. He wasn’t as sharp tonight. We got in at like 3:30 (a.m.) Monday morning. We’ve been on a grind with this group, I just didn’t think his stuff was as sharp and we really wanted to get some guys some work. He’s always 88-89 mph but the breaking stuff can be really sharp and it was a little flatter. We had (Chase) Hungate warm up all day long because you want to throw your side armers on a night like this, but Chase just got to throw in the bullpen I guess.”

Q: You have another top 10 opponent coming up this weekend in LSU. What’s the challenge with them this weekend?

CL: “I think it’s just SEC baseball. You’re playing teams that are playing really well at the time. Obviously, they’re talented, but they’re playing well and we haven’t done enough. I haven’t watched them a ton, but you’ve got to go in there and compete. We’ve had success there, but we’ve competed our asses off.

“This group is going to have to go in there and earn every inning, strike and hit they get to play against one of the better programs in the country because we’ve got to start getting some SEC wins. We do have some opportunities as the season goes on to get to where we want to be.”