GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS POST-GAME QUOTES

Head Coach Jeff Annis on rallying to put the tying run at second base in the final inning: ”We always thought we could pull it out, and we gave ourselves an opportunity to make something happen in that last inning. We were pretty patient at the plate, and we got some runners on. [Coe] made a great catch at the end to win the game and you have to tip your hat to them for making that grab because otherwise it’s tied up and who knows what will happen.”

Annis on the 12 hits generated by the Coe offense: “I was a little bit surprised that they hit it as well as they did, because I thought we pitched fairly well. [Coe] came out and put the bat on the ball and put it in play a lot.”

Annis on whether defensive mistakes contributed to the defeat: “It certainly could have, but I thought that we would hit better than we did. [Coe’s Sonja Schwenker] was really hugging the outside corner and was very effective. We just weren’t able to bunch our hits up when we needed to.”

Annis on whether he has ever seen a team pull its starting pitcher for a relief pitcher and then re-insert its starter in the final inning the way Coe did: “I don’t think we’ve ever seen that before.”

Annis on what he said in the offensive huddle final to senior center fielder Emily Klein’s at bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the final inning: “I was talking to her about taking a pitch, and she said that if her pitch was there she was going to swing. I told her that was fine, but I just wanted the runners to know what was happening. I told her another option was to hit it out [of the park] so that we could get ready for the next game.”

Annis on whether he considered trying to bunt the potential tying run into scoring position with sophomore left fielder Kirsten Prunty after Coe’s first pitching change: “We talked about it, but she thought she could get a hit. She has been hot, and it was a situation where we definitely would have sacrificed with no outs. But with one out and a new pitcher coming in, she felt comfortable hitting. She had the same situation [on our Spring trip to] Tucson when a new pitcher was brought in and she hit a game-winning double in the gap and cleared the bases for us. I just felt like we should leave the bat in her hands because we needed a hit anyway.”

Annis on whether he expected his program would advance to the National Championship in just his fourth year as head coach: “I thought the area kids that we have from the metro area down to southern Minnesota would allow us to put a quality team on the field. One of our goals that we’ve strived for is to qualify for the regionals and get to a National Championship. Our underclassmen now know what the National Championship experience is like, and they also know the hard work that goes into getting here. Hopefully we can keep it going.”

Senior All-American shortstop Rachael Click on how she and her fellow Gustie seniors inherited a new head coach upon enrolling at Gustavus Adolphus four years ago: “We were recruited by our previous head coach, so when [Annis] was hired it was a surprise to us. But we were all kind of okay with it.”

Senior Jessie Gabbert on Annis’ hire prior to her freshman season: “Coming in, I didn’t know anything about him. But it’s been a good four years with him that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

Click on the Gusties exceeding other peoples’ expectations: “For the whole season, it’s been kind of a joke that we were never ranked in the Top 25 during the entire season. We kind of talked amongst ourselves that we didn’t want to be ranked because we knew how good we were, and when the time came we were going to prove it. That time came so we were really excited about it and proud for each other, proud for our program, proud for our coach, and proud for everyone back home. It was a great way to end a career.”

Annis on how Click ranks among the best players that he has ever coached: “She is the best. The best all-around in terms of hard work and being a leader.”

Click on the demeanor and coaching style of Annis: “I don’t’ think he has ever yelled at us for losing a game or missing a play. If it’s happened before, I can’t remember it and that’s very rare for a coach over four years. When we play teams that have coaches like that I think to myself how lucky I have been to play for someone who knows that we’re all human and we can make mistakes. He was a fun coach to play for.”

Annis on the experience of playing in the National Championship at Montclair State: “It’s been unbelievable since day one. They have done a great job. I don’t know if we possibly could have had a better experience unless we would have won it all. Everything from our bus drivers, to having the opportunity to go downtown in Manhattan, to the banquet, to the facility we got to play in, were just incredible. It has really been great.”