Quotebook: Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco discusses Saturday sweep of Georgia
Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco spoke to the media following his team's 8-4 and 5-2 wins over Georgia to move into a share of the SEC West lead. The Rebels took the series from the Bulldogs and are now 32-9 and 10-8 in the SEC.
Here's what Bianco said about a number of topics.
On starter James McArthur, who has come up big in numerous series-deciders this season
"He’s been terrific. He was a horse for us today on the mound and he always has the dominant fastball, but today a much better breaking ball and some swing and misses on his breaking ball. It was usable early in the count and some changeups as well. When you run him out on Sundays you feel pretty good."
[Related: Rebs roll in Saturday doubleheader against Georgia]
On Will Golsan who had his first-ever two home run game on Saturday and leads Ole Miss in two-out RBIs while hitting .372 with runners in scoring position
"(If you don’t look at the batting average) we think he has swung it well all year, and he really has. He's had a tremendous year. Keith Kessinger and I laughed that he figured out if you hit it over the fence they can’t catch it. They can’t play on the other side of the fence. The truth is he’s handled it well.
"He’s a tremendous competitor and as big of a competitor as we’ve ever had. He’s one that doesn’t like when he doesn’t have success - and not selfishly but because he wants to do it for the team. He’s handling it well and it’s taken a lot considering back early he struggled batting average wise. He still barreled balls and swung it well but didn’t get the results. Even then he was a tremendous leader. Now they are starting to fall a little bit."
On his bullpen that struggled recently but got big efforts from Will Stokes and Parker Caracci on Saturday
"Terrific. Started in game one with Will Stokes. I thought he was tremendous and like the Will Stokes we’ve seen for so many years. He’s had a couple bad outings these last few weeks but truth is a lot of guys have. We needed that effort today, especially in game one where it kind of saved the bullpen for game two. But of course (Max) Cioffi did a great job in game two by coming in and throwing strikes. Parker at the very end got the groundout that was needed with the bases loaded and then two strikeouts in the ninth. He looked terrific."
On if Saturday was a defining day in getting past a couple weeks of adversity
"Nobody really knows, you’re talking about hypotheticals and we’ll find out. One of the things we told the team is don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. And I don’t mean with talent. I mean tougher and making the plays. That’s what we were doing until two weeks ago. Last couple weeks we didn’t do enough to get off the field or make a play. Today we did."
On Brady Feigl wearing a walking boot and the prognosis of Houston Roth, who injured his hamstring prior to the win over Arkansas State
"Houston’s hamstring, I don’t know. That’s one he’s going to be down for a little bit. Feigl is fine. It’s a weird thing and the boot is to be preventative. Honestly he pitched today and pitched well, and I’m the one who has him in it all the time. I wore a boot last year so he can wear one this year. It’s to get some inflammation out. When they look at it they see an old fracture that was in an X-ray. They thing that may be what’s bothering him, but it doesn’t hurt him to pitch. When he walks sometimes it feels funny but not when he pitches."
On freshman Tyler Keenan, who had four RBIs combined in the two games on Saturday
"Terrific and shows why he’s such a talented freshman. Big double in game two and swung it well in game one, as well. He’s good. Very underrated defensively. Makes so many plays over there. He makes them look pretty easy too."