GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS POST-GAME QUOTES:

Head Coach Jeff Annis on his team rallying for the victory despite falling behind by three runs in the first inning: “That’s happened before, and we just thought we would chip away at it throughout the game, but we did a little bit more than chip away in the first inning. We regained control, and then we made the pitching switch [to Betsy Collins] because they had already been through the order once and [starting pitcher] Callie [Nelson] was hitting good spots, but they were putting their bat on the ball and making things happened. We thought we just needed a change of pace. Betsy [Collins] came in and did a great job. It was a typical Gustie team. We weren’t going to roll over.”

Senior All-American shortstop Rachael Click on the Gusties being one of the top four teams remaining in the nation: “We’re excited about how far we’ve come. We’ve had big wins against good competition this year, and those games have helped prove to ourselves that we are a good ball club. Hopefully things will keep going well for us. We’re excited.”

Junior third baseman Andrea Brown on the Gusties being one of just four team remaining in the tournament: “At the beginning of the season we set a goal to make it to the Regional Tournament, and now everything else is just extra sweet. As coach said, we’re not going to go down without a fight, so we’re just excited for the games still to come.”

Annis on the play of Brown both defensively and offensively: “It was stellar today. She had a lot of opportunities at third and she did a great job of making the plays, checking the runners, and fielding bunts. Our expectation is that anyone in our line-up can bunt because you have to be able to move runners and put people in scoring position. Of course later, Andrea put one over the fence, which was icing on the cake.”

Annis on his team playing an errorless game compared to the five errors committed by Salisbury: “It was just fundamentals. We made the basic fundamental plays. I thought the key play in the game was the very first at-bat [when center fielder Emily Klein reached on a Salisbury error]. If that doesn’t happen, who knows what happens, but that first little bobble was a key factor our five-run first inning.”

Click on the three-run first inning home run by sophomore left fielder Kirsten Prunty: “She’s been hitting balls off the top of the fence all season. We told her that she’s been saving her best for last in terms of putting balls over. We were pretty excited for her.”

Annis on the weather conditions during the game: “It could have been even cooler and we would have been comfortable. We’ve had a lot of wind and cool temperatures all year long. It’s been a real windy year for the most part, so we were comfortable with it.”

Click on her role as the leader of her team: “It’s an honor to be called a leader on this team. Chemistry-wise, this is the best team that I’ve ever played with. We’re all very hard workers and we all want to be here. We support each other and do things for each other and not for individual motives. It’s all about the team. It’s an honor to be called a leader on this team.”

SALISBURY POST-GAME QUOTES

Head Coach Margie Knight on her thoughts after giving up five runs in the first inning despite allowing four or more runs in a game only twice all season: “I was thinking that we swung our bats well in the first inning, so we could come back. Our bats were wide-awake in the first inning, so I was hoping we would repeat that for several innings to come.”

Knight on putting three runs on the board in the first inning: “I thought we had some really nice hits. We were hitting line-drives instead of the fly balls that we’ve been hitting all tournament. I was extremely pleased with how aggressive our batters came out, so it was pretty great.”

Knight on her decision to start freshman right-hander Erika Brittingham despite the fact that she had previously only made one other collegiate start: “We have a pretty good stat program, and I looked and saw how Kelsey [Mills] and Stacy [Davis] had thrown yesterday. Stacy has pitched a lot of innings this year, and I’m sure in some ways she was tired, even though she’s not going to say that. I think Kelsey is tired too, and Erika was looking good in practice. [Erika] is the Player of the Year for the State of Delaware, she likes the pressure, and she pitches differently than [Kelsey and Stacy] and I knew that [Gustavus Adolphus] would have absolutely no scouting report on her. [Gustavus] had already had the opportunity to watch Kelsey and Stacy pitch.”

Knight on the Sea Gulls committing of nine errors in its last two games: “[Gustavus] had timely hits after our untimely errors. We fielded well all year, but we did not play well defensively at Montclair.”

Knight on whether her team did not play its best game at the National Championship: “You don’t get to the National Tournament without playing super ball all year. Would we have liked to have won our games here? Certainly we would. Does it get easier? It gets harder, because softball is such a growing sport in the U.S. Division III is top-level ball. The difference between Division I and II softball is not necessarily the talent of the players, it’s more on where the institution places its emphasis, and that’s on academics in Division III. There are great players and teams on every level.”

Senior second baseman Stacey Malarkey on reaching the National Championship: “Just to be here was a great experience. To make it here is a big accomplishment.”

Senior pitcher Stacy Davis on reaching the National Championship in her senior season: “In our four years, we haven’t made it [to the National Championship], so for me, I’m just grateful that before my four years were over, we were able to work so hard as a team and accomplish what we set out to accomplish.”

Senior outfielder Meaghan O’Gara on her squad making it to the National Championship: “In the beginning of the season, we emphasized that this was our last chance to make it. I actually would like to think that the three of us were an integral part of why we made it here. It’s extremely nice to be here, but a little disappointing the way it ended. But I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. I know after the regional tournament I said, ‘I don’t even care if we lose the first two games because we made it to the National Championship.’ I regret that statement now, but it still was a tremendous experience.”

Knight on how Montclair State as the host site compared with her five previous National Tournament experiences: “There is no comparison, and I’m not putting the other host cities down. I know every city works really hard to make it a special experience for your players, but I think Montclair State University, the NCAA, [MSU athletic director] Holly Gera, [MSU assistant athletic director and head softball coach] Anita Kubicka and the MSU staff have just gone way over the top. If I turned around and needed something there was someone from Montclair there to help. The experience for our kids to play in a top-notch fast-pitch facility has just been super, super special. I know everyone of our players has felt that way. They have done a great, great job. It felt like a National Tournament, not a regular tournament.”