NC State HC Elliott Avent, INF Sherman Johnson, RHP Anderson Nance, and INF Luke Nixon met with the media to discuss the series win against Miami. 

NOTE: Click the videos above to watch each press conference!

HC Elliott Avent

It was good to see Anderson Nance coming in during the fourth inning.

It is not a secret that without Jacob Dudan and Ryan Marohn, this has been a challenge. Ragusa had the last strain early and didn't pitch for a while; he has only pitched the last couple of weeks. We try to figure out what to do every day.

We decided today that if Luke could get us to the fifth, we thought Anderson could finish. Luke got us to the fourth, and I thought he did well, but the Miami hitters did a great job against him. They are a really good baseball team. But Anderson was phenomenal. I have been here a long time and seen many incredible things, and I saw one tonight. It was in the ninth inning, they loaded the bases, and he threw his best stuff at the end. It was incredible.

What does that say about him, having to find a way to get out of that?

He has always been like that. You don't make the USA team if you are just an everyday player. He believes in himself. He grew up in a hard-nosed, work-ethic family in Eden, North Carolina. They are blue-collar people who do things right. They eat dinner at the kitchen table and value family.

He was raised by good people who gave him those values and the belief in himself. He also knows he is not pitching for himself but for his teammates. He has a love for them that stays in the back of his mind. That can get you over the hump sometimes. It was unbelievable to watch tonight.

What does it say about Anderson Nance's toughness to go for almost six innings in a high-pressure game?

It was the most pitches he has thrown all year. He told Coach Clint Chrysler in the ninth that there was no way he was coming out. That is just who he is. We were checking to make sure he was okay, and you saw what he threw.

He had every pitch tonight: the cutter and the changeup. He didn't throw many sliders, but he was really good. I think I saw 97 mph in the ninth inning. That is that little something extra people like. I am not comparing them, but I grew up idolizing players like Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens. That is what those guys do; they reach back and get a little extra when they have to. That is who he was tonight for me.

A big series win is coming down the stretch. What was your message to the team after the game?

I was gone for a long time; it was probably the longest talk I gave them all year. I told them how proud I was of them. They were at this stadium for 13 hours yesterday and on the field for probably eight of those hours. They got off the field at midnight. A 20-year-old young man doesn't just go right to sleep; you have to replay everything and unwind. They probably didn't get to bed until 3:00 or 4:00 AM.

To come out and play today after a devastating loss in that first game was really tough. We didn't make a couple of plays we should have, and their guy ran one out of the yard. My daddy taught me once that your parents can't always be there for you. You are going to get tested in life, and how you handle that determines a lot.

They got tested last night with their resolve. They got tested after that first loss. It was unusually cold for May, and sometimes that can mess with your mind because you expect it to be warm. To play that second game as well as they did, almost a walk-off 11-0 win in seven innings, and then to have Tristan Potts, who hadn't pitched much all year, go out and finish it was huge.

Then they came back today after going down 3-2. Miami played very well, and AJ Ciscar is as good as this league has. To come back against them showed how this team handles getting tested. They know they belong in the postseason. They have dealt with adversity through injuries, but they keep fighting and sticking together. For a coach, that is all you want. It is like having kids who do things that make you proud. I don't have kids, but seeing this team pull together makes me very proud.

How are you going to handle the long trip this coming week?

I have no idea. I hope we have a good pilot and it is nonstop.

Did the experience two years ago of going to Cal help you?

I think so. You saw how it was out there. It has a different vibe now. Now we are going to Stanford, which has always been one of the marquee programs in college baseball, much like Miami. They are playing well, so a great challenge awaits us. I think they swept Florida State. We have a team that is looking forward to it.

How has Sherman Johnson evolved as a person and a player this year?

He keeps getting better because he works hard. If you work hard and believe in yourself, there are not many limits. He is a good person who comes here and works hard every day. That is who he is in a nutshell.

INF Sherman Johnson

What is it like for you guys to come out with a series win these last two weekends?

It has been big. We want to make the postseason, and these were the games we had to win. We knew that going into it, and Coach Avent harps on it a lot. We just want to go out there and do the best we can. We did that, so it’s good.

What was it like to put a punctuation mark on the series with that home run?

I was up there, and Coach Bo Robinson told me he was going to throw a fastball. I took the first one, and Bo was right. I knew I had to get a swing on the next one, and it happened. I have been working with Bo and Coach Chris Hart a lot, and it is showing off.

Is that the biggest hit of your career?

No, the Virginia Tech double was probably the biggest, but this is definitely up there.

People come to NC State to play meaningful baseball, and you are already in that postseason mindset. What is that like?

Coming out of high school, I went to DBU and then took my talents to JUCO. I had to work through that, and now I am here on this big stage. I just wanted to prove that I could do it. Bo, Hart, and Coach Avent believed in me. It is fun being out here and competing on a big stage.

What was the moment like in the dugout after you hit the grand slam?

It was special. I didn't even know it was a grand slam until I looked up at the scoreboard. Everyone in the dugout was just happy for me. I was happy I did it for the team because we needed those insurance runs. They ended up getting the bases loaded with no outs later, so I was glad we had the lead.

What was it like to see Anderson Nance work out of the bullpen and pitch through those tough situations?

Anderson is tough as nails. He is one of my best friends on the team. We talk every day and joke about it. I told him they wouldn't let him go long, but they ended up letting him stay in today, and it worked out.

Did you think he could throw 113 pitches in a game?

I didn't think so, especially coming out of the pen. It was only the fourth inning, and I didn't think there was any way he would go to 100, but he competed. That was all we needed.

How do you feel you have evolved throughout the year, especially with your current hitting streak?

Just being here made me better. I always believed in my skill set, but working with Bo, Chris Hart, and Aiden Kitchings made me better. Even working with J.T. Jarrett in the infield helped me become a better player. It is starting to show at a vital time of the season.

What are your thoughts on Christian Serrano’s play and how big it is that he’s stepping in?

We need him. Mikey Ryan going down hurt us big time. In game three against Georgia Tech, we moved Luke Nixon over, and Wyatt Peifer came in, and Serrano told us he could play shortstop. We told him to go out there and show us, and he did. He works really hard in practice. He came in as a semester transfer and just took the opportunity and ran with it.

RHP Anderson Nance

The staff clearly had a lot of confidence in you to let you finish that game. How did that feel?

It shows the staff has total confidence in me. Even after giving up those two runs in the sixth, they could have easily gone to someone else. Sending me back out there was what I wanted. I wanted to put my team in the best spot, the offense took care of business, and I did my job. I was very thankful.

Was there a moment where you felt like you were getting into a groove?

Probably after they scored those two runs, going into the seventh. I wanted to make sure no more runs were scored and keep them right where they were.

How do you settle in and ignore the pressure when there are base runners?

I just throw strikes. Sometimes I get myself in a bad position, like a full count, where I end up walking someone. I have to keep throwing strikes, stay ahead, and get weak contact or big strikeouts. I just try to fill the zone and be competitive.

How do you handle the pressure in a close game like this?

This is something I have always had. I focus on slowing my heart rate down. Most kids get up there and worry they have to be perfect or the opponent will score. I just go out there and compete.

When was the last time you threw 113 pitches?

It had to be high school. I think it was whenever I would go seven innings back then.

Sherman Johnson said you guys joke about not going long. What was it like to prove to the staff that you can succeed in that role?

I have always been the long reliever guy. I want to be in there doing the best I can to give the team the best possibility to win. I have always wanted to be out there competing.

When you are in the 90s and going through a lineup for the third time, do you change your philosophy?

Not really. I just go after everybody. I attack everyone differently, but I just focus on making the pitches I need to make.

INF Luke Nixon

What does a win like this do for the team overall?

It’s great momentum, especially with exams being done. Going through the whole week knowing we took a series win really binds the team. We are hot right now. It is important for our confidence, especially going to Stanford after what they did to Florida State.

I am proud of how these boys played all weekend, especially after going down in the first game. Coming back to win two against a lot of good arms in their bullpen makes me proud.

What are your thoughts on how Christian Serrano is playing?

He enrolled early at 17 or 18 years old. Being able to come in and play shortstop, the hardest position on the field, says a lot about his character. He showed up every day at practice wanting to get better, not even thinking about playing time, just doing what he could for the guy in front of him. For him to step up at this time of the season makes me proud. He deserves it because he worked hard for it.

Does having Anderson Nance on the mound in relief take the pressure off the rest of the team?

100%. I have had the pleasure of watching him pitch for two years now. Whenever he is on the mound, you know you have a chance to win. He is a competitor.

When he came in during the fourth, did you think he would finish the game?

I don't think I've ever seen him go that far before. By the seventh or eighth inning, you could tell we were going to try to let him finish. He took on that challenge. Throwing 110 pitches as a reliever while holding his velocity was incredible. I’m super proud of him.

What was it like to have a two-homer day and spark the offense?

Home runs are not usually a big part of my game. I’m glad I could put some runs on the board, especially after some defensive mistakes early in the game that I’m not proud of. Being able to help my team by putting those runs back on the board was everything.