June 3, 2005

Recap |  Box Score

Game 1 Quotes

North Carolina Head Coach Mike Fox

On the team's NCAA opening round victory:

"We are certainly excited to have gotten a win in the first game. That first game is extremely important. [UNC pitcher] Robert [Woodard] has been unbelievable all season long and he's the only guy I would have given the ball to in this kind of game. You can see how courageous he is--when it looks like the game is on the ropes, he does what he needs to do to win. He had great defense behind him today."

On pitcher Robert Woodard tossing the first complete game of his career:

"[Robert] wants to finish and as a coach, you want to let him finish. We could have gone with one or two guys in the bullpen and saved him a few pitches. We will get Robert rested and get him back on the treadmill tonight. He could pitch again in this tournament. He's pretty resilient."

North Carolina Sophomore Pitcher Robert Woodard

On the opening round win:

"It was a lot of fun out there today. We played really solid baseball in all aspects of the game--hitting, pitching and defense. It is a great atmosphere down here from the dugout to the fans in the stands."

On working out of a jam with two runners on base in the sixth inning:

"[Notre Dame] had the heart of their order coming up. They really are a great ball club top to bottom. I kind of got out of my game with the first batter and then the next batter came up and got a hit. [UNC pitching] coach [Roger] Williams came out and said 'Get back to what was working' and I was able to do that. The defense made great plays behind me. It was good to get a lift and go back to the dugout."

North Carolina Freshman Third Baseman Chad Flack

On the North Carolina victory:

"We played great today. Every time Robert [Woodard] is on the mound, he seems to get the job done. All we have to do is play defense behind him, and hopefully we can continue to do that."

Notre Dame Head Coach Paul Mainieri

On North Carolina pitcher Robert Woodard:

"He's just one of those guys that keeps changing speeds on you, never throws the same pitch two times in a row, and his team played great defense behind him."

On the team's opportunities to score:

"Every time it seemed like we had a chance to get something going, their defense either made a great play or the pitcher made a big pitch."

On if Friday's loss to Notre Dame is demoralizing to the team:

"I don't think 'demoralizing' is the right word as much as you just let an opportunity go by against a good pitcher."

"It's not easy when you lose the opening game. You just take it one game at a time and try to win tomorrow, stay alive."

Notre Dame Junior Pitcher Tom Thornton

On his performance Friday:

"There were some times when I could have made better pitches that could have changed the outcome of the game."

"I felt like I could win, and I just didn't get it done today."

"I think pitch-wise I had a little trouble getting ahead of hitters and I think it kind of cost me."

On giving up a home run:

"It was a 1-1 pitch on the inside corner and the (Greg Mangum) turned on it."