NC State head coach Elliott Avent, along with RHP Collins Black, INF Chris McHugh, and OF Brayden Fraasman, met with the media to discuss their 6-4 home win over No. 16 Coastal Carolina. 

NOTE: Click the video player above for Elliott Avent and the links below to watch the player interviews!

Elliott Avent

The game had kind of an April-May feel to it, would you agree? 

Well, y'all are so smart, all of y'all ask such good questions and pay attention. You've covered our sport long enough that you know the questions to ask. And yes, I thought the same thing; it did have an April-May feel to it. And I'm really proud of the guys because, obviously, everybody beats you in college baseball; that's the way it goes. 

And everybody's got a guy that can shut you down, as Princeton did, in the one game against us. But to be playing people from up north who hadn't had the opportunity to get out, as we have, even though this hasn't been the best of winters. 

But to have to play a team like Coastal, who just came back from playing in Houston and beating a really, really good Ole Miss team, a good friend of mine, their coach, who does a heck of a job, Mike Bianco. So that's what I was proud of: our players. It's more about us right now, early in the season, than it is about the opponent. We're trying to get better. And I thought they handled that part of it really well.

What's it like for you to see Chris come up in the first and eighth with the opportunity to score against Coastal, scoring the top half of the inning and hitting a pair of doubles?

Yeah, I thought it was good. I mean, it's like Rob said, it's just a back-and-forth April-May game that had an unbelievable. I was telling Brandon on the way up here, for the crowd to be that good this early in the season, with obviously everybody thinking about basketball right now.

We had the game last night, and it's still 85 degrees either. But I always really thought the crowd was unbelievable, and I thought our players just handled every part of that game very well.

Coach McHugh's obviously had that hit tool for a long time, but now he's almost got as many home runs, I think, as he had last year. Have you seen that power really kind of coming and emerging over the last year?

You asked that question at the wrong time because he just walked up here, so I don't want to get his head any bigger than it already is. But no, he's a good hitter, we know that. He's a good hitter. He believes in himself, and he works hard. He plays the game well, too. I remember watching the World Series, still maybe one of the best World Series I ever watched this last year, right?

And the hitter for their first baseman, who I fell in love with. I didn't know much about him, not Toronto, I got the wrong team. Yeah, it was the Blue Jays. And he ran the bases so well in the World Series. Everybody remembers that he ran the bases so well, and he was unbelievable defensively. 

And Chris made an unbelievable play when he and Collins were both diving for the ball, and that's a big-time play. And he almost dove and caught that line drive that got their second run. And obviously, he scored on a hit down the line that was scalded by Luke Nixon. So obviously, he gets around the bases pretty well for a big man. So yeah, I'm just pleased with everything Chris does.

Speaking of base running, it seems like this year you guys have gotten more aggressive than last year, with just as many stolen bases.

I think you do what the game tells you to do. If you'll let this game tell you what to do, it basically will. And we probably are more athletic than we've been in a long time. So yes, we are more aggressive because we're more athletic. The guys have worked hard on stealing bases and being good base runners. 

And like Brayden Fraasman in the fall and preseason, I thought he got as good of jumps on stealing bases. Ty got that one good jump and stole third. But he kinda got pushed off the bag with those gloves. They're easy to push off the bag of those mitts. And that was unfortunate. But yeah, we run the bases well, we're aggressive, but we're very athletic.

You sent Collins back out there after he gave up the lead in the previous inning. Why'd you do that?

Well, I don't really think Collins gave up the lead. I mean, I think Collins actually saved the game. He gets to win, but for me, this is a save for him. Because Truitt Manuel, who's gonna be outstanding here at NC State. And he's gonna be a guy with dominating stuff. And he went out there, unfortunately, the guy ran into the first pitch.

And then he walked a guy. So I didn't know how he felt, you know what I'm saying? So Collins comes into that situation. And we probably should have gotten the guy second. We gotta communicate a little louder, a little better. But if he gets that step off and somebody yells, go there. Because he threw a perfect strike to Mikey Ryan, and Mikey Ryan put a quick tag down. I thought it was very close to being out, and I think it was. 

But if we can just get that communication a little quicker and faster, and Collins reacts a little quicker, then he's out of that jam. So yeah, I wouldn't say he had good stuff. He's the guy who needs to be at the back end of the game for us right now. And no, I don't see that at all.

How valuable was it for Collins to get this opportunity, with it being a closed game year late?

You can ask him, he's one of the guys you're gonna have to use. So ask him that question, and he'll tell you. 

The February you mentioned was a time when you said everybody in college baseball was finding themselves, not knowing. Now you're in March, what have you seen so far now that February's done? Do you like where your team is? 

I've seen a lot of people can do a lot of things. I've seen that a lot of people can do a lot, and the conference starts in about two weekends. So you try to have as many things figured out, and you never have everything figured out. But you try to figure out as much as you can.

As I said, we got hurt by, instead of 11, 12 preseason scrimmages, we had four, right? A game was rained out in Puerto Rico, so we need to see more things. 

And Drew Lanphere is just catching outstanding. I think he's been unbelievable behind the plate. The way he receives, the way he throws, how smart he is back there. He's outstanding, but we're gonna give another guy a chance tomorrow, who hasn't played here at NC State, a freshman, and see what he does. So we're still trying to find some things out.

RHP Collins Black

What was it like to be able to go out there and get the job done? 

It was fun. I was looking forward to it. I wanted my name to be called out to anybody in that staff. I was able to do what I did, and I was just the guy who got their name called, so it felt good to be out there. 

What was your mentality heading back out there for the 9th?

My guys gave me the lead, they gave me the cushion, and I just wanted to go out there and close the door. So anyway, anyhow. 

How can you build off of this now that you got the win today?

Just kind of the same mindset, same game plan. Just compete, don't let up, and just do what I do. It goes for the entire team. I think the team's hot right now. Clearly, we're 11-1, and I don't think we're slowing down anytime soon. Second and third, there is a big spot.

You seem to be able to hit the fastball perfectly. I'm curious about the evolution of your fastball. 

I feel good with my fastball tonight. The command, like last year, I was primarily off-speed. This off-season, with Clint and Fish and all the staff, we just worked on getting after it with the fastball. My view list ticked up a little bit. I think just knowing the guys are back there and my stuff gets hit, it's going to get caught and have defense behind it. It's just really nice to have. 

Is this the first year you've been all two-seam?

My ball is a four-seam. It just runs. 

Is the run a new development, or has it always been like that?

No, I've always run since I got to college. It's definitely run more this year compared to last year. Definitely in the preseason, the fall, I was in some numbers with the horizontal and everything.

You mentioned the confidence. There are two ways to look at it. Obviously, you had the one inning where they scored, then you came back out there and rebounded. So there's not just winning against a good team, but there's also you personally regrouping and shutting the door. Speak to that. Can that help you go forward?

Yeah, for sure. It gives me confidence, but I feel that confidence has been there. I don't feel like I need to prove anything to myself or these guys. They've got my back, and they trust me. I think that gives me the confidence to go out there and just do what I do. Just knowing the team has my back.

Where's your trust level with them? You said they trust you. Where's your trust level with them?

I trust them out of this world. They know that. There's nothing more than these guys. Nothing means more to these guys than them. I just trust them a lot.

INF Chris McHugh

The first and eighth after Coastal took momentum, you're able to go up there and get it right back with your bat. 

Yeah, I think there was a lot of emotion with this game, being so far the best team we've played this year. So, just, we're all NC, and then in the first inning, just having to have that happen so early on, just kind of gave me my confidence for the rest of my at-bats. And then in the eighth inning, got the hang of breaking ball. I felt good, so yeah.

Where does this power come from? You've got six homers this year. You're most in seven in the season. Where's this come from?

I mean, I always had it. It was just more about lifting the ball in the air, and I finally figured out how to do that. So it should be good, yeah. 

Was there a mechanical adjustment that kind of helped you tap into that power?

Because your average isn't suffering at all. No, yeah, for sure. It was a mechanical adjustment that we worked on all fall. Got cut short in the fall with a little injury, but then coming back into preseason, it was just about lowering the hand a little more. And, I mean, I think that's the biggest thing, because I found it, yeah. 

Do you ever go to a plate looking for a home run? How do you just describe your approach? 

Yeah, I mean, with a guy like that in the eighth inning who's throwing a lot of curveballs, I already hit a home run on a fastball. I know what I'm going to get, and he hung a breaking ball, and that's probably one of the not-easier pitches to hit a home run on, but if you clip the bottom of it, it goes. So, yeah, definitely no. My approach is never to hit a home run, though. 

So it's just certain situations you kind of...

Yeah, just looking for the right pitch, yeah. 

The athleticism on this team, which was mentioned earlier, feels like it's a more multidimensional offense, even this year than it was last year. Do you think that's true?

For sure, yeah. In the preseason, we had no idea who was going to play. And, I mean, I think you look at our offense now, I mean, everybody's contributing. Like, there's no...There can be any combination, and it'd fit the right way. So, I mean, this offense can steal. We can hit the power. We can, you know, move the ball. And I think this is just about the best offense in the country. So, yeah.

What's the headspace like when you're heading up to the plate there? Do you find you have to settle yourself down, like, late in the game? 

A little bit, yeah. I mean, I'm antsy. I think there were two outs. And then right when I saw the hanging kick breaking ball, I literally felt something inside me, and I just, I got so excited. So, yeah. 

What's the vibe right now with the team, 11 and 1? You guys, as you mentioned, played the best team you've played so far.

We're feeling great. I mean, we were just blasting music down there. We had good food down there, too. So, we're feeling great. This is the best team we've played so far. And, we made a statement today. I don't think it really matters who we play. But, keep this thing rolling until ACC play. 

OF Brayden Fraasman

Braden, to beat a good team like that, obviously, Chris mentioned the vibes are great. Just describe how that feels, because that's the best team you've played so far.

Yeah, I mean, the atmosphere and everything were just awesome tonight, and to beat a team like that shows a lot about our team. I mean, the vibes are high, and we just need to stay healthy.

What does it feel like to go up there and have meaningful at-bats at the back end of the game, and in your case, you got some hits?

Yeah, I mean, earlier, I think two innings before that, I didn't get the job done, and I just had the confidence going into my at-bat that I knew I was going to do something for the team. Your approach in that at-bat, I mean, you drove that fastball, obviously, back side. 

Is that something you've been trying to do even more this year, or is that just kind of a continuation for you?

Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty pull-happy, get around the ball a lot, so, I mean, just to be able to stay through that ball and hit it in the oppo gap was huge for me.

Describe hitting behind Ty and hitting behind Chris, what that brings, what that provides for you.

Yeah, I mean, it just gives me a lot of confidence. I mean, those are some of the best hitters in the country, and to know that I have them in front of me and even the guys behind me to support me, it gives me a lot of confidence going up there.