SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

May 27, 2021

Franco Aleman

Hoover Metropolitan Stadium

Florida Gators

Postgame Press Conference

Florida 7, Alabama 2

Q. Franco, that's one heck of a performance out there in the heat today. Were you lobbying to go back out there in the eighth inning once the guys put some runs up?

FRANCO ALEMAN: I knew I did my job, and I knew I gave my team a good effort to win the game today, and that's all it comes down to. If the guys in the bullpen can come in and get some work, that's huge for everybody.

Q. You've kind of been tinkering, you know, obviously coming out of the bullpen, you're in the stretch, and then you started working in the windup, and you were back in the stretch today. What have you been working on, and how do you feel comfort-wise on the mound?

FRANCO ALEMAN: I feel like later in games as my legs get tired, I'm able to function better and get all the pitches down from the stretch. And when I get to the sixth, seventh inning, I'm just going to go from the stretch. It's like you're facing a new guy. You're facing reliever Franco. That's a different story.

Q. You have two really strong starts in your last two. Just where are you confidence-wise?

FRANCO ALEMAN: I think bring it on. Whatever team we got to play along the way, I'm ready.

Q. And then I asked Sterlin about it. Chris mentioned that you got together as a team after Arkansas, just talk about playing for each other. Can you just share a little bit about that message and what it meant to you guys?

FRANCO ALEMAN: I feel like throughout the season, it's a little harder to remember what your goals are as a team. But when it comes down to tournament play here in the playoffs, you can't avoid it. We're here to win a championship, and everybody has to do their part in order to achieve that. If not, it's not going to work out.

Q. Franco, I asked the opposite of Sterlin, but for you, how does it feel when your guys are hitting the ball and scoring runs? How much easier does it make on you?

FRANCO ALEMAN: Oh, 100 percent. It destroys the other team's morale. So when I'm out there pitching and the other team's morale is destroyed, it makes it a lot easier to get outs.