Postgame Quotes: #2 Florida 4, #3 Michigan 1
6/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
June 4, 2015
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Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
Opening statement ... "Well, congrats to Florida. They were the best team tonight. And they've been one often this season, but they showed up to come after us. And that first inning obviously broke our back. And we gave them a lot of free bases all night long. Too many. And you can't do that to a team like Florida. They're just too good. They have such great bat control. They can bunt it. They can poke it out of the infield. When it comes down to it you have to say Lauren Haeger, she was outstanding. Very deserving of the Most Outstanding Player. And I thought she was better than last night. I thought she was on fire, and she definitely took care of business. She was great tonight. So very deserving champion.
"As I told my team I told them yesterday and I told them today, tonight doesn't define our season. Obviously, we would have liked to have walked out of here with the other trophy, but this has been a great team, fun to coach. They've been very committed to team, very committed to Michigan and to each other, and I'm proud of them. I'm proud of my seniors, really proud of Haylie Wagner. She had her best tournament the last tournament of the season. She was outstanding. Great season for Michigan. Very proud of us."
On how she would define Team 38 ... "They were a team. Outstanding team. They worked hard every day. They came in every day and did what we asked. They worked through adversity and avoided a lot of adversity because they always believed. They believed they were great, and I don't think you can believe you're great unless you have trust. Trust in the program, trust in the coaches and trust in each other. Most importantly trust in themselves. They were a great group to coach. We had a lot of fun."
On representing Michigan on a national stage ... "We wear Michigan on the front of our chest. We know that everybody in the Michigan Wolverine nation was cheering for us. We have the largest alumni in country. I've heard from football people from 1950s and baseball people from the 1960s, and I know how proud the Michigan fans are. And we're really proud of our kids because I think they represented Michigan the way it's supposed to be represented. And they've made Michigan proud."
U-M Senior Haylie Wagner
On falling just short of an NCAA title ... "Like coach said, this loss doesn't define our season. We played our hearts out. We played with the heart and soul like the last two weeks, and Florida is a great team, and they came out firing right back today. And congratulations to them. But this doesn't define us -- we're a family, and these people Team 38 will be forever my best friends and sisters."
On the difference between Florida last night and tonight ... "They definitely came out attacking, and they just got a hold of the ball, and I could have spun the ball a little bit more. But I had to go after them. And they were fighting right back, and they were throwing the same punches as we were."
On her proudest moment at Michigan ... "Most proud moment is right now. I wanted to wear my jersey, Michigan across my chest to the very last possible game. And I got to do that. I couldn't be more proud of the team and being part of such an amazing experience and opportunity. And this may be the last day I get to wear the jersey across my chest, but I'll forever be a Michigan Wolverine."
U-M Junior Sierra Romero
On falling short in tonight's game ... "It happens. I can't really be all that mad. Haylie (Wagner) did amazing. I mean all the seniors did everything we asked them to do. I'm proud of this team. So I have nothing to be sad about."
On coming so close to an NCAA title ... "You always want to win your last game. This team meant so much to me. I felt like Team 38 has been so special, and I feel Team 39 is going to be great. Our seniors were just amazing this year, and they helped us through everything basically."
On the Wolverine seniors ... "I'm proud of this team. They've taught me so much as a player. And we've stuck together through some hard times, and we've pushed through it, and no matter what we were a family. So I can't be more proud of them."
U-M Sophomore Megan Betsa
On falling just short of an NCAA title ... "It's tough to lose the last game, but I think the returners are going to come back and work really hard next year, but all the thanks to the seniors because they did absolutely amazing and couldn't ask for anything more."
On the Wolverine senior class ... "I grew really close especially with the senior class between (Lauren) Sweet and Haylie and Becca (Garfinkel), because we all shared time in the bullpen together. It's going to be hard to watch them go, but we'll come back next year strong."
On splitting time in the circle with and learning from Haylie Wagner ... "I think Haylie and I taught each other a lot. She taught me how to be strong, how to be a bulldog in the circle. And she was always there to tell me what I was doing wrong. And something that she taught me was that I need to play every pitch of the game because I can help whoever is in the circle, and I really took from that, and I really tried to do my best to help her when she's in the circle if I saw anything that I could help her with."
