Postgame Quotes: Kent State (March 6)

2021 Mississippi State Baseball
Postgame Quotes
Mississippi State vs. Kent State
March 6, 2021

Head Coach Chris Lemonis

Q: How would you asses the starting pitching to this point and are there any plans to make changes?
CL: We're going to have to evaluate that. We'll have to get through tomorrow and then try to figure out everything for the next week. It's just hard to play when you're behind and the other team has momentum every game.

Q: What's your concern level with Eric [Cerantola] as of right now?
CL: I'm concerned. He's very talented and he's been really good, we're just not competing in the [strike] zone enough. I thought he got through it early in this game and was going to take off, but we're still fighting to throw strikes, fighting to stay ahead in counts, fighting to make pitches. We're not making plays behind him either, both weeks. You don't get an error on the board, but we've got to make plays to help get off the field. He just needs a little bit of help and we haven't been able to play good defense.

Q: What goes in to working with guys after a start like that and what's the process with trying to ty and help without throwing everything completely off?
CL: It's just trying to get him enough innings and everything else, especially with Eric. He needs to pitch, but the reality is there's a fine line between getting him work and us winning, and so those must coincide. [We're] trying to get him out there and get him comfortable, but not a really good day today.

Q: How much of the struggles at the plate is guys trying to dig themselves out of a hole?
CL: Well, we faced some really good arms. You've got to tip your hat to the guy today, he is very talented and has pitched great his whole career and it's a lot harder to beat that guy when you're down a couple [runs] and then you're down a couple more. We've been playing every game like that, it feels like lately. The challenge after today's game was being able to play better early in the game and coming out with more focus. It's not just our starting pitching: it's our defense, our offense, it's being able to get out there and create some momentum early in the game.

Q: Do you feel like sometimes there's a self-fulfilling prophecy of coming back and winning games late and maybe that caught up with you a little bit today?
CL: I think a little bit. I don't think anybody on our team wants to start bad, it's just what's happening, and it feels like every game it's the same story. The coming back at the end is because our kids won't quit. They just won't quit. They're going to keep playing and we have an offense that hasn't clicked on all cylinders, but we chew up the game. If you look up, the pitch count is getting high, so we're getting into bullpens and making guys stretch out. One reason we swing better late is just because we've stretched somebody out, but we need to play better early [in games] and I think our guys will always think they're in it as long as they've got outs left on the board.

Q: In terms of getting guys going early, what do you attribute it to?
CL: Just getting out there and getting a good start, playing good defense, and getting some good at-bats. It's a combination, there's really nothing you attribute it to besides going out there and playing better tomorrow.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Postgame Quotes: Kent State (March 6)

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