June 3, 2006

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

Baylor Head Coach Steve Smith
"They played well obviously it was a great game both team played very well they pieced it together. Coaching wise both teams were at a distinct disadvantage, with the short rest and neither team being able to bring back their intended starters. The key for us was the job that Ryan did it's a heck of a game to throw to not get credit for a complete game. It was a champion effort on his part. We got enough timely hits that he was able to make them stand up."

On Starting Ryan LaMotta:
"I didn't (decide to start LaMotta) until I got to the ballpark today. I had mixed emotions about it. Obviously if you have left-handers available you would want to throw them against all the lefties from Arizona State. But I really feel like it was unfair to Cory (VanAllen), not (because of) health issues. I wasn't worried about turning him around because of possible injuries. I just thought it would be unreasonable to expect him to come out as sharp as he did yesterday. He had good velocity and was very sharp yesterday, and you want the guys to come out and be at your best. Today was Ryan's day; he was ready to go, and I just felt like that was what we should do. But I didn't make that decision until I got to the ballpark."

On LaMotta waving him off:
"It didn't really come as a big surprise. I haven't ever had anybody look at me quite like that before. It made the decision easy for me. It's not like we've got instant outs sitting down in that bullpen. We've got some options down there. I didn't want to put him into a position where he could take the loss. Obviously he didn't care about that. He wanted to win the game. It was a real easy decision once he did that."

Baylor Pitcher Ryan LaMotta
On waving off Smith:
"That was a bit of a subconscious decision, not a voluntary thought. I had so much invested in that game - so much emotion - and I was just like, `I don't want to come out of this game.' I figured if we were going to lose it, it might as well be me that gives it up. I'd look like the biggest moron in the state if we lose that game. It worked out so that was good for us. I had been out there for so long, I just felt like it was my game."

On starting today:
"The guys allowed me to go out there and pitch with a lead and I wanted to really go out there and close the deal. More than that I wanted to bounce back from my start at the Big 12 Tournament and my start against these guys earlier in the year wasn't that good either."

On his stuff:
"Stuff wise that was the best I have pitched in a while. I got behind in the count some, but I had good enough stuff to get back in the count. I mixed it up on those guys, and I pitched them different later in the game than I did early in the game."

Baylor Catcher Zach Dillon
On his 2-run double:
"I saw the ball well on the changeup he threw before that, that I fouled off and he threw it again and I was able to stay back on it enough to get it fair."

On LaMotta waving off Smith:
"He said `He's not coming to get me,' and I said, `OK.' He threw a heck of a game, and he deserves to be out there. We had talked earlier, and Coach Smith and I agreed that it's his game. He didn't want him to lose it, but like (Smith) said, Ryan obviously didn't care about that. That's the competitor Ryan is, and we're glad he got the win."

Baylor Catcher Matt Sodolock
On his RBI double:
"Once again to chip in, Ryan did a great job. Beamer hit a double down the line on a change up; we had to stay back on that guy he was keeping everything away from the right-handed hitters. We crowded the plate a little bit and fortunately we got it done."