2021 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 24, 2021

Ivan Melendez

Texas Longhorns

Postgame Press Conference

Texas - 6, Virginia - 2

Q. You and Zach really came through at the plate. How much have you guys talked about maybe what needed to change or how to get yourselves out of the little funk you were here in Omaha?

IVAN MELENDEZ: We didn't talk about anything. We just tried to keep it going, stay working hard. When you're down you just have to keep working, keep pushing through. That's about it. We never think low; we always stay up.

Q. What was Coach Pierce's message to you right before the eighth inning single that you had?

IVAN MELENDEZ: He just came up to me told me he wanted me to slow the game down, slow my heart rate down, and tell me how great a hitter I am before I got in the box.

Q. You obviously know what you have to do to move on. Where is this team at mentally as you head into a game that's, I guess, in 12 hours or whatever it is?

IVAN MELENDEZ: I'd say we have the momentum right now. Mississippi State beat us twice. Now we have to go beat them twice. We're hungry for more.

Q. Want to get your thoughts on Pete's performance, how he looked overall on the mound. It was a little rough in the fifth inning, but aside from that a pretty solid outing. From the bench, what did you see from the defense as well?

IVAN MELENDEZ: We always play great defense. We know we have a chance to win when Pete's on the mound. He throws the ball really well, throws strikes. Commands the zone really well. He spins it for a strike which is huge for a guy that's upper 80s. So, we trust Pete. He's one of our guys.

Q. Did you feel like you were getting close to breaking out; you hit a couple balls well earlier this tournament, had that double leading off. Were there any adjustments you made recently to get you back in the groove again?

IVAN MELENDEZ: As you saw, for the past couple of weeks I was slumping it, sending that one against Mississippi State, I hit one to the warning track. Hit one to the warning track against Tennessee. I was drawing a few walks, so I was seeing the ball better. I wasn't getting the best results but that's a start.

Q. You've still got a lot of work ahead of you all. And how do you feel you all stand as far as having enough pitching and maybe getting some hitters going to win this thing?

IVAN MELENDEZ: I like our chances. TY, he has some pretty solid rest. Our second pitcher, he has some pretty solid rest. We're swinging it pretty well right now. I think we're putting up a few good ABs. Obviously we have to work on a few things. It's baseball -- you've got your ups and downs and your tough ABs, good ABs, and it's just sticking to the grind. You gotta trust the process and keep working hard.

Q. Obviously with the delay it was very crazy. How did you and the team stay mentally ready? And what were you most proud of what you guys overcame tonight?

IVAN MELENDEZ: I really liked how we overcame the weather delay because in the past it was kind of hard to get warmed up again. But down in the cages we were flipping each other. We were hitting live off the tee, we were staying ready. I think that helped us to our advantage as well.