Everything Brian O'Connor said after Mississippi State sealed the series over Vanderbilt

Mississippi State needed a great start from Tomas Valincius on Saturday evening and the Diamond Dawgs got just that.

Behind 7.0 innings and a career-high 14 strikeouts, Valincius delivered a gem and State took a 7-2 win over Vanderbilt to take the series. Valincius and Brendan Sweeney struck out 17 batters and walked just two in the victory and the offense delivered some key hits to seal things up.

After the game, head coach Brian O’Connor spoke to the media.

Question: What did you think of the pitching performance?

BOC: “I thought the pitching performance tonight is the best that we’ve had. Maybe match it to Tico’s (Valincius) outing against Arkansas. But the combination between the two of them is the best we’ve seen this year. They were both really locked in. We needed that. We needed a deep outing out of Tico and he gave it to us.

“I think it just shows you about a young man. Ryder makes the error to start the fourth, Tico looks like he’s not himself. He’s missing arm side quite a bit but he doesn’t let it get out of hand. He gives up the two runs and then, wow. The fifth, sixth and seventh inning was the best he was all night. He’s just always looked to me that he gets stronger as it goes on. We needed that. He competed his tail off.

“The slider and the consistency of it was the best that I’ve seen him ever do. Vanderbilt has an incredibly talented lineup. They’re not going to go away. They’re going to fight back tomorrow, I know that. For those two guys, Tico and Sweeney, to go out and do what they did was extremely impressive.”

Q: A couple of questions: What were your thoughts on the crowd and Bryce Chance delivering another bit two-out base hit?

BOC: “First about Bryce Chance, you can look at the state sheet and say, ‘jeez should we move this guy up towards the top of the lineup?’ But it’s working. With Ace Reese in the two-hole, he’s so many times turned that lineup over either to start the inning or extend the inning. His team has been the benefit of that. He’s been really outstanding down there.

“The crowd at the Dude is special. I said it last night – there’s no place like it. What has impressed me the most in my short time here is that they’re incredibly knowledgeable baseball fans. They not only want to see their team win and be successful, but they know the game and that’s really rare in college baseball. They understand momentum and when they need to get behind the team. As a young man, how do you not love wearing this uniform knowing that 14,000 people are behind you and with you in that dugout.”

Q: Tomas was one of the first guys to commit out of the portal. What do you remember in those conversations with him?

BOC: “My relationship with that family dates back three or four years. Twice when he was a senior in high school, I flew to Chicago to meet with his family about coming to school and he made the decision to bypass the draft and come to college baseball. He’s continued to get better and better. I have to give a ton of credit to coach (Justin) Parker because the adjustments that those two men have made together.

“He’s way better than he was last year, and that’s what the progression is supposed to look like. The recruiting time of coming to State was short. He came here for my introduction here and he knew right away that this was what he wanted to do. We’re sure glad, and I know our fans are glad, he’s wearing the maroon and white.”

Q: Has Jacob Parker made adjustments to start seeing his plate appearances get better and better?

BOC: “A few adjustments that he’s made over the last month or two. It’s been a slow, gradual process which is what it should be. Nobody has the magic pill where you say hey do this and you’re going to be a great player and be a star. It’s a process from a hitting standpoint and he’s made the necessary adjustments to be more consistent and be in there more often.

“I’ve been really impressed with this young man. And the thing that impresses me the most is not his BP where he hits 15 balls out of the ballpark, it’s how he’s even keel. That is incredibly rare as an 18-year-old. I’m sure it has a lot to do with the home that he grew up in and how his parents talk to him. He’s not a real emotional kid.

“To have success in this game, you can’t have the ups and downs. The ups and downs are going to happen from a performance standpoint, but who you are emotionally has to stay even keel where this game will eat you up. He has that quality about him. That is what, coupled with the talent, is giving him the opportunity to show growth and progress.”