top of page
BURG Sports Network is a national professional sports media company that covers high school athletics in Loudoun County, VA. We also cover collegiate and professional sports events on a regular basis. Our work has been seen by ESPN and has been nominated three times by the Best of Loudoun.
Thank You For Visiting
Story 81
ACC Baseball Championship Week Post-Game Interviews
UNC starter, Jake Knapp, pitched 5.2 innings, struck out 5 batters, and only allowed one run vs UVA.
Photo Credit & Copyright: BURG Sports Network Owner Michael Ferrara
Game 1 UNC vs UVA
Post-game opening statement from Head Coach, Scott Forbes
Post-game interview with UNC Pitcher, Jake Knapp
Question : Jake. What was working for you today?
Answer : I have actually had all three pitches today for the most part, the changeup I haven't used much all year. So that I think it's something that wouldn't show up normally on the scouting report when looking at my own game, so that was big. Just to kind of get them been thinking a little more and able to land the slider for a strike everything. When I do that with my off speed pitch my fastball can play up a little bit and that's my best pitch. So later down speed for a strike really, really opened things up for me.
Question : And then for you coach talked about the offense today what was the biggest key for them today?
Answer : You know, timely hitting, obviously, some big hits and you know, I want to point out Alberta you broke we've had two broken handmades the season him and Alvarez is taking a little while to get his bass beat back. That's the best thing that takes the longest. For him to step up and hit it hit two big doubles for us and then obviously frig with the biggest bat but I didn't feel like we ever just went quickly and had bad at bats. I felt like if a guy didn't have a great at bat, the nice guy had a good event and that's important as a team like Virginia because you know, you know they're going to attack and score at some point with that offense.
UVA post-game opening statement and interview
with UVA Baseball Head Coach, Brian O'Connor
UVA Head Baseball Coach, Brian O'Connor, has been the head baseball coach for 20 years entering this season.
Photo Credit & Copyright: BURG Sports Network/Michael Ferrara
"I'll just start off I gotta give all the credit to North Carolina. They played a terrific baseball game. Knapp was really really good as changeup to our left handed hitters was good. He was locating all of his pitches, you know, took for him to go into the sixth inning was an impressive performance by him, and he felt like we were behind in the count all the time and couldn't get a lot of advantage counts against him. And he did a terrific job. They've certainly played great defense behind him. And then they you know, there were three innings where they scored crooked number paprika numbers on the board and, and they did a great job of being opportunistic. You know, I think there were three or four walks not including the two intentional walks to Horvath that we allowed them to get another extra runner in scoring position and they capitalized on so on. So I tip my cap to them. They got the big hits when they needed to to drive in the runs and created separation in the ballgame. And unfortunately, we're headed home but that said we were gonna have a great opportunity to play next week and we've earned that right for what we've done all season long."
Question : Ethan not many guys get to play in this kind of atmosphere in a minor league stadium. What's it like to be in this atmosphere with your teammates, and your coaches?
Ethan O'Donnell Answer : Yeah, I love it. You know, being able to play here at Durham. I know do close their most of their home games here. But a lot of the ACC stadiums we play at are pretty big and pretty nice to play at Durham. Having everyone here and all the fans come in all the games it's a it's a great atmosphere it gets loud.
Miami post-game Interview with Miami Pitcher,
Andrew Walters
Miami outfielder, Edgardo Villegas, hit a home run to take a take the lead vs NC State in the first inning
Photo Credit & Copyright: BURG Sports Network Owner/Michael Ferrara
Questions : You guys were in the ACC tournament Miami's men's basketball, women's basketball. You know, it's been a great year for Miami athletics. What is it like to be part of this magical season for Miami athletics?
Andrew Walters Answer : I mean, it's awesome. It's just like a fog. It's dirty places to be when the seams are winning and I get to fall on all the sports and be a part of it. Kind of feels as well. So it's a treat.
Postgame Interview with NC State Head Coach,
Elliott Avent
NC State pitcher, Sam Highfill, went 3.2 innings pitched against Miami on Thursday night, allowing 3 earned runs.
Photo Credit & Copyright: BURG Sports Network Owner/Michael Ferrara
Question : It was basically like a home game just talking about having the support of the fans and just the atmosphere being in this great ballpark. And you know, you said you got to talk to your team. What's the most exciting thing moving forward that excites you about your team?
Answer : The last two all last and the last question. First of all, try to go back and remember the first part, the what excites me the most is what I just said. All year long. I thought we were good teams we play in one of the top two continents and countries survive in these two legs. You got to be good. So I thought we were good team all year long. But I wasn't sure we were in Omaha team. And the last two games showed me we can get back to Omaha. So that's what excites me the most. The first part of the question our fans, our fans are so passionate. And but they're they're going to be passionate and if you play hard, you deserve their passion. Them coming out will cool night. And but they were so good tonight and Tuesday I go back to Tuesday's game would do what a great game now. Both of these games have been in this tournament for a long time. Both of these games are two of the best games I've been a part of in this tournament. And both teams played great us and Duke the other day and us amazing both play great today. Somebody's come out on top in Miami did so congratulations to the University of Miami that's a great ballclub a ballclub obviously if you will end up at all.
Postgame Interview with University of Notre Dame Head Coach & University of Notre Dame Shortstop,
Zack Prajzner
Notre Dame Shortstop, Zack Prajzner, was named to the 2023 All-Tournament Team
Photo Credit & Copyright: BURG Sports Network/Michael Ferrara
Question : What's it like to take part of being part of this historic University? The athletics you know, it's very historic. What was the biggest thing also you learned? Your time at VCU coming to Notre Dame?
Answer : Well, first off the first part of your question. In my opinion, it's the greatest institution in the country. And these are the greatest young men that you get the chance to work with or your I'm extremely, extremely humbled and privileged to be here and that's that's all I have to say about it. It's an unbelievable place. You will I took you know from VCU to here is just that, you know, it's it's it's one it's about the players. It's always about the players and you have to you know, you really have to continue to press as you build your culture. And as we will look at this season, you know, how everything kind of matters it's like you know, the seasons almost like a baseball game you look at the everyone thinks you lose the game of design. If you don't, then you don't lose the season in the last game. You have opportunities and you build momentum. And so you know, you just have to you just have to stay patient you have to keep keep at it. And I'm just again, it goes back to the players. I think always DCM never been liquid been much more proud of the group than I am for this group. You know, so they're impressive, for sure.
And then just a little touch on you said you're impressed with this group.
Question : What's the biggest thing that you're most proud of for the future of Notre Dame baseball?
Answer : Well, it's you know, it's what these guys to stay there that his group has said, you know, the way he picked probably, you know, his group picked the program up out of the cellar a few years back and then 2019 2020 21 just just the standard that they have set the example that they have set you know, that's the thing I'm most excited about is that people understand that we are a baseball program that is is moving forward and we're gonna continue to move forward and you're not always going to finish here in Omaha, you know, but, but I think everybody would look up and say that I think the program is is certainly agree established and learnings to
Question : Zack, I know there's you know, coaching change, you know, some guys may leave some guys stayed. Can you just talk about the team chemistry this year?
Answer : Yeah. Like coach said, We came a long way in last couple years and we weren't really wanting to stay make sure that that legacy remain leaving named the winning program. Coach did a phenomenal job of coming in as a really, really difficult thing to come into a team that went to Ohio the coach left and I think he did an awesome job and we were very successful this year. And yeah, I think the chemistry was was always amazing.
Opening Statement From Clemson Head Baseball Coach, Erik Bakich
Sure. Yeah. Still a couple storylines today. The start we got from Caden Grice quality started seven innings. Really kept if you're very good team, very good offense to you know, just some some solo runs here and there and just pitch very well. Three pitches for strikes just attacking get head all day which is really good job by our entire beauty staff, our entire defense have made some good plays today as well to running catches in the outfield some good into play. And then we were able to get the five spot early that was being cadence to RBI double Billy's to run homer and receive notice. So homer in first just to get that five spot. Anytime you can. You can jump out too early if you'd like that. It allows anybody to kind of settle in and settle down and then we're able to tack on some runs Billy with another to run triple and we're just threatening to score we didn't cash in on all our scoring opportunities today. But we were right there and we had a lot of traffic on the basis just felt very well played game, pitching and defensive. And offensive.
Interview with Clemson Pitcher/First Baseman,
Caden Grice
Clemson's Caden Grice was previously named First-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball
& was also named ACC Tournament MVP
Photo Credit & Copyright : BURG Sports Network/Michael Ferrara
Question : Caden, what you're what you're doing at the plate and pitching is you know phenomenal. Not many people get to do it for someone who wants to do like little league or what advice would you get to somebody who wants to be a two way player like you?
Answer : Don't stop. Don't stop. It's, it's fun. It's an adjustment, but it's really fun. I mean, I've been doing it my whole life. My dad's always told me to. So I mean, give it a shot. But you're never gonna know what you can do. Give it a shot
Question : Could kind of a two part question for you guys. Can you guys talk about the emotions and what was going through your mind in the last rally that you guys had? And when you guys got that final out celebrating with your teammates, could you just kind of tell us what was going through your mind and what emotions you were feeling?
Answer : I mean, obviously we were excited to get that lead. But we we did our film. We studied Miami we knew that they were a really powerful offense and they could strike at any time so to see the guys not giving any at bats away after after taking the lead and trying to expand the lead was was huge for us and it just gives anybody coming out of the bullpen. Although my confidence to ourselves and what has worked so
I mean, after the final out was made on the belt, I have it I think I was thinking about I saw Ryan Emmons get folded like a chair, broke his back because trying to make sure he was okay. I think everything went out the window when I saw that it was it was exciting.
And same thing.
Interview & Written by BURG Sports Network Owner Michael Ferrara
bottom of page