What Evansville coach Wes Carroll said after the 11-6 loss to No. 1 Tennessee in Game 1

Everything Evansville coach Wes Carroll said after losing to No. 1 Tennessee 11-6 Friday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Game 1 of the Knoxville Super Regional:

Opening Statement

“What a game. I think it was a little closer than what the score indicated. You really have to credit that offense. Five two-out RBI knocks, home runs or whatnot, scoring five runs with two outs, and we weren’t very good with two outs. We had some opportunities early that we didn’t capitalize on, but big stage, bright lights. I’m really proud of our guys going and competing. I think they got on the field, and Cal (McGinnis) goes up top and captures a lead. You feel a little bit of momentum, and then Kip [Fougerousse] stepping up with a big knock. It was just an overall great effort from our club. A little short, but we’d like one pitch back, obviously, but for us to go out there and represent the University of Evansville, I’m just really proud of our guys. It’s going to be an uphill battle, but we’re going to start with pitch one and inning one tomorrow to get back in this thing.”

How Evansville was able to stay loose in a tough atmosphere

“It was definitely different. I don’t feel like were as loose as what I wanted to be. I don’t feel like our dugout was excited and engaged, and we discussed that after the game. It was suffocating, the crowd. The atmosphere was challenging, but I felt like Kenton Deverman made some pitches that didn’t go our way. He competed and handed the ball off to Shane Harris. I thought Shane was outstanding other than one pitch. What I do know is that we are a resilient, tough club, and we went out there and played well. We didn’t play well enough. The error hurt and a couple of other little miscues, but what I do know is that tomorrow, we are going to come to the yard extremely loose and let it fly.”

How Evansville balances appreciating their successful season so far and competing for more

“It starts with our team getting at it and understanding that we’ve earned this. We’re playing some really good baseball in this past month, and we’ve been in some tough spots and have overcome a lot of adversities and challenges. I understand the position that we’re in representing mid-majors. I know the landscape of college baseball is changing. I was hoping for a different outcome, especially since we’re representing our conference, which I believe is a very challenging and tough conference. We understand what we’re representing, but there’s also us, our university and our alumni: people that are connected to our small institution that we take a lot of pride in. We understand what we’re playing for and what we represent. It’s very important. We didn’t get the outcome that we wanted today, but what I do know is that we are going to leave it on the field tomorrow. It’s a senior-led group that competes and earns everything that’s getting done.”

The difficulty for Evansville facing a lineup like Tennessee’s

“You are okay if you keep them as solo home runs. Solo home runs do not hurt you. It is just freebies leading up to it. But also, as you saw today, it’s very challenging to get the third out of every single inning. It just is whenever you have to run through a lineup like that. It is the most dangerous lineup I’ve seen in my 16 years as head coach with what they are able to do with the barrel and their approaches at the plate. I felt like our pitchers did a really good job. If you look at the stat lines, it shows different. It is challenging, we understand as an offense we need to hang with them. That’s a tough strategy, especially with this ballpark and that talented lineup. We are ready to give it a go tomorrow.”

What went wrong for Evansville starting pitcher Kenton Deverman Friday

“You’ve got to credit that offensive lineup and what they did, because I thought he made some good pitches, I really do. A couple calls did not go our way on some edges, and I think he made a couple of mistakes in the meat of the plate that you are going to pay for. What I do know about Kenton Deverman is that he has had a remarkable season as a freshman in our program and he has a very bright future. I believe he is in the running for pitcher of the year in our conference and freshman of the year in our conference. He left it out there. The last couple of weeks he has been outstanding for us. This is a freshman going this deep into a season, he is tired. He let it rip today, and I thought he had some real bullets that gave us a chance.”

The health status of Evansville center fielder Ty Rumsey after trying to make a play at the wall

“We are going to wait and see. What an unbelievable effort that was from Ty Rumsey up against the wall. I cannot wait to see the replay. That would have changed the game. He has been a difference maker defensively for us in center field over the past month. So, we are hopeful for good news and that he is feeling okay.”

Evansville Junior Second Baseman Cal McGinnis

Whether there is any difference about Tennessee’s atmosphere from East Carolina and if they learned from it

“I definitely think it’s a little different coming in here. At East Carolina last weekend, we got a feel for what kind of environment this was going to be. I think this is a very similar environment, and because of last weekend we were pretty well prepared for it. To the second part of your question, I think we don’t want to dwell on this game too much. Obviously, it’s a quick turnaround with an 11 a.m. game tomorrow, so we’re just going to rinse the shampoo out, get back at it tomorrow and come to the yard ready to play.”

How much their experience in elimination games will help them Saturday

“First of all, you have to get some sleep and shower before tomorrow. I think the way this team plays, we always say to play loose, have a ton of fun and let it fly. I think that’s really going to ring true tomorrow. Obviously, tomorrow is an elimination game. But whether it is or not, I think it’s just the way this team plays, how loose we are and how well we play together. I think it does make a difference whether it’s an elimination game or not.”

Evansville First Baseman Chase Hug

Using a tough environment in Game 1 to prepare for Game 2 on Saturday

“There’s only one thing we can do, and that’s take everything that happened today, go back to the hotel rooms, learn from it, flush it and then get ready to play. Tomorrow’s a brand-new day and a brand-new ballgame.”