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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

May 22, 2017

Mike Martin

Louisville, Kentucky

MIKE MARTIN: Well, obviously, we've been in Louisville for a while. We know where Churchill Downs is. Just enjoying ourselves here in this great city. Obviously our baseball team is excited about being in the tournament, as the other 11 schools are. It's a fun time of the year. It's what we all started working toward, gosh, back in August.

I think you start talking about the league itself, I don't think I've ever dreamed that our league would be as strong as it is. Every single team that's here can win the tournament championship. And I don't know when I've been able to say that, but I sincerely mean that.

Q. Of course we saw your team take what was essentially a sweep technically against Louisville. You're now 14-5 in the regular season. Even with your five losses, four of them by less than two runs. What would you say it is about this team that they've been able to turn it on into the season?
MIKE MARTIN: I think we've got everybody back now with the exception of Rhett Aplin. We're very disappointed that Rhett's not able to be with us. I think we're just reaching a time of the year which school is out. The guys are able to concentrate strictly on baseball. It's just an exciting time for them right now.

Q. Final thing, of course, your bullpen has definitely looked better as of late. What would you say has been the most consistent thing you've seen from them over the last ten or so games?
MIKE MARTIN: Well, we've got guys that are enjoying their opportunities. I think previously we were putting a little bit too much pressure on ourselves. We just weren't doing the little things as far as whether it was fielding a bunt or pitching a certain way to certain hitters. I think we've just -- Coach Bell has just done a great job in pounding into our guys what we're trying to get accomplished. They had success a couple of times, and now all of a sudden, they're looking forward to the opportunities.

Q. Talk about your team. What do you guys have to do this week to bring home the title back to Tallahassee and keep that playoff streak alive, going 40 years into the NCAA Tournament?
A. Well, I think really what we've got to do is just try to continue to play like we've been playing. We don't make any excuses at Florida State. We've had some things that occurred this year, and just very proud of the fact that we're continuing to work hard to try to get better every day. As we are talking, I'm watching infielders, and there is not one single guy so-called going through the motions. Every single one of them is trying to get better.

Q. Just talk about being in Louisville, because you guys played there this weekend. Is it good to be there and just stay in your hotel? Does that help your players just being in one place?
MIKE MARTIN: I have to say it does. Because had we been on the road, say we went to North Carolina, the state of North Carolina and played, then we would have to, of course, unload, pack the suitcase up again, get on the plane, fly up here, and pack the suitcase again. So I think it's a little bit of an advantage for us to already be here.

Q. This past weekend things went well for you guys already in Louisville, winning both games. How do you think that carries over into this week in terms of momentum and playing them again?
MIKE MARTIN: Well, the way the tournament is set up, it could be that we are playing Louisville and we were beaten the first game. And Louisville wins their first game, and we know that Louisville is already in the finals. So if we win our first game, we know that if we play Louisville, we'll be playing for the right to move to the next round.

So I think to answer your question, it all depends on how we do in the first game to whether or not I can answer that question. Because if we lose that first game, that game with Louisville does not mean basically anything to them. Because they know they're in the finals if they win their first game. Not finals, but semifinals.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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