Sam Highfill: 'I was excited for the opportunity'

With only 13 players available for Friday’s game against Vanderbilt due to COVID issues, NC State had to get creative. Some of that creativity involved playing Sam Highfill, a starting pitcher who had three at-bats this year, at first base. He had three hits in his first three at-bats in the Pack’s 3-1 loss. 

Highfill spoke to the media after the defeat, here’s a full breakdown of everything he had to say: 

When did you find out you were going to be starting at first base today, and how did you react to that? And then how the heck did you get three hits against Kumar Rocker in your first game of the year in the lineup?

I found out, I don't know, game time was supposed to be at 1:00. It was probably around 1:00, that there was a chance I was going to play first base today. And I wanted to.

I looked at it as more of an opportunity than a problem that we had half our team. But I wanted to be a guy who stepped up. And so I was happy. I was excited for the opportunity.

There's a lot of ambiguity about who will be there tomorrow. Obviously you may have to be called on to pitch. What type of innings do you think you could give in that situation? How do you feel right now?

I feel good. I felt good today. Like coach said, there was a chance I was going to pitch in the ball game today. We'll take it one inning at a time tomorrow. I'm not going to say that I can go out there and throw nine. But my arm feels good.

What does this loss say about you guys that you took the reigning national champs to a 3-1 outcome with just 13 players? Will you lobby for more at-bats? 

It just shows how tough we are, these guys, and went out and played a heck of a game. And it didn't go the way we ultimately wanted it to. But I think we showed a lot of fight today and we're ready to go do it again tomorrow if we have to.

And the second part, I don't know if I'll lobby for any more at-bats. But who knows, who knows.

What was coach's message to you guys after the fight you guys had today? How do you turn that into a win tomorrow and make sure you guys advance?

I think he touched on it a little bit when he was just talking. I think the key is we've got to get hits with guys on base. We left a lot of guys on base today. And I think if we're going to go out there and win tomorrow, we need to get those big two-out hits or hits with guys in scoring position.

Do you believe that this team with 13 players is capable of winning tomorrow and why?

Absolutely. I mean, we fought back from a lot of things this year. And we need nine guys out there. We wish the rest of those guys could be on the field, but we're confident still. We feel good, and there's a big opportunity tomorrow.

Did you wake up today knowing that something like this was possible as far as players being missing? Did you have an idea this was brewing? Or had you guys talked about vaccinations amongst yourselves? Because I know the NCAA rules say vaccinated people don't have to be tested?

I didn't really like -- I'm the same way coach is. I don't have much of a clue of what exactly is going on. We just do whatever they tell us we've got to do.

You obviously had a pretty good day at the plate, not so much for the guys in the first half of the order. Unless my stat keeping isn't correct, they all struck out first time in the order. You all started putting the bat on the ball later in the game. What did you see the first time in the order that allowed you to make better contact?

I think we got better at laying off the breaking balls in the dirt. I think that was the majority of the strikeouts in the first couple innings. I think we made a good adjustment on that.

And when I went up there I was looking for a fastball. I kind of went off of the words from my teams, what they were seeing. The idea was we have to hit the fastballs early because his breaking ball is really good.

Could you take me through what your morning was like today?

It was normal. I mean, came down, had breakfast. I came over a little bit later. So I wasn't here for BP or anything. But there's a couple of pitchers who came over later that we thought might throw today. When I got here, then that's when I found out about everything. Other than that, it was normal.

Did you guys get tested this morning?

No comment.