Florida baseball fell to the Auburn Tigers on Friday night, 5-3, in a game that saw solid pitching performances for both teams. However, the Gators just could not get a clutch hit when they needed it, and now the weekend series is tied at one game apiece.
Right-handed reliever Luke McNeillie helped keep the Orange and Blue in the game after taking over for starter Liam Peterson, who had thrown five solid — but inefficient — innings. McNeillie did allow a solo home run in his first frame, but stymied the Tigers’ offense the rest of the way.
Following the game, the righty briefly spoke with the media about Friday night’s loss. Here is what he had to say.
What was working for you tonight?
“Just changeups, slider was the main thing. I left the one fastball up over the plate for the homer, but I think my changeup over the last couple of outings has been good.”
How do you approach Auburn’s offense?
“You just got to attack them. I mean that’s always our motto as a pitching staff. It’s okay to give up solo shots, but if you give them a big inning, that’s where you get into trouble.
“They’re aggressive. They don’t swing and miss a lot, but you just got to get ahead in the count, really.”
Since moving to the Game 2 starter, Peterson has looked pretty good
“Yeah, he’s been awesome. I mean, he’s my roommate of three years, one of my best friends here, and he’s been nothing but positive about it, and he’s taking it. It’s the best move for the team in the coach’s eyes. And he’s just trying to stay positive about it all and keep it going because we need him throughout the season, for sure.”
How hard is it to overcome the error as a pitcher at that moment?
“It’s challenging, but you got to remember, all the hitters are working their ass off too. We may have a game where we don’t pitch great and they pick us up in the field, so it’s really just trusting your guys. I mean, it doesn’t happen often. We got to just trust our guys.”
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Luke McNeillie discusses Florida baseball’s loss to Auburn on Friday
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
