2021 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 19, 2021

Evan Justice

NC State Wolfpack

Postgame Press Conference

NC State - 10, Stanford - 4

Q. Walk us through you coming in that jam there in the middle innings. What's the approach at that point? How were you able to whittle out of it?

EVAN JUSTICE: The end cut out there. What did you say?

Q. Just how you were able to wiggle out of that jam, the bases-loaded jam that you guys were in?

EVAN JUSTICE: I just tried to keep the same approach I always do, fill up the zone. First contact, a lot of strikes. The one thing you don't want to do in that situation is be out of the zone, give them free bases. So I was just trying to fill it up as best I could.

Q. When you guys look at the way that Reid pitched through six and then he obviously comes out there and struggles there at the bottom of the seventh, how much when you've seen the start that he's had do you feel like you want to go out there and try to pick him up and get him out of trouble there?

EVAN JUSTICE: Yeah, I mean that's something I always try to do is just pick up the guy in front of me. We've got some great starting pitching here, especially Reid. He's one of my good buddies. So trying to pick him up. I thought he did a great job today. And I wanted him to get him out of the jam. And fortunately I was able to.

Q. You're obviously used to coming into high-leverage, high-energy situations, but kind of another level today with 22,000 people and it being the College World Series. What's going through your mind as you come into that game and there's so many NC State fans and just being on this stage?

EVAN JUSTICE: Just trying to soak it up. You know, this is extremely fun. This is a great environment. And I mean it's the College World Series. It's something we've worked for all year. It's something you dream about your whole life as a baseball player.

And to be able to get out there and compete on this stage with these guys we have, it's a dream come true and it's a lot of fun. I'm glad we came out victorious today.

Q. I want to ask what are your feelings of -- Coach Avent said this is a must-win game for us guys. (Indiscernible) on Monday, how does it feel to get win one under your belt?

EVAN JUSTICE: It feels great. You want to be on this side of the bracket after the first game. I thought offensively we came out swinging. They did a great job today. So that's always very helpful as a pitcher, having that run support we got today was huge.