The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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achieved what we all thought she could do, which is to really find greatness. "There were sometimes difficult moments between her and me. I pushed her, because I knew she had more in her. Kids think they're at their limit, and she found her limits at the World Series." Wa g n e r a c k n o w l e d g e d t h e discovery as well. "The middle of the season, I wasn't at my top game," she said. "I feel like once the postseason hit, I had a realization that this is it. When regionals happened, I realized it could be my last weekend. I didn't want that to happen, so I was going to do everything I could to play another game. "Throughout the postseason, I really stepped up my game and told myself I wasn't going to let anybody beat me. I wanted to continue playing and wanted to continue wearing 'Michigan' across my chest." Then came the World Series, and another gear altogether. "My ultimate highlight was the World Series," Wagner said. "I upped my game to a whole different level. Hutch always talks about going from good to great. That World Series, I realized what it meant to go from good to great. I realized what it meant to play with heart, soul and passion, and to leave it all out on the field. "The past four years I thought I was doing it, but there was something about this year that made me realize what that really meant. Game two of the championship series is a great example of that. "I just came out attacking and firing away. I came out with the heart and soul that I didn't know was possible. It was such an amazing feeling." Romero acknowledged her own challenges along the way, often delivered by a coach seeking to maximize her redoubtable potential. "She holds you accountable, and she's going to push you," Romero said of Hutchins. "She's going to get under your skin, and she's going to push you to be better because she knows that you can be better. At the end of the year, you're going to reach levels you didn't even know that you could reach. "A great example is [sophomore outfielder] Kelly Christner. Her first year, she was getting used to college. Then she comes back and she's a first-team All-American. It was awesome. She had a huge year for us. It was awesome having her hitting behind me because it gave me protection. "I knew if I didn't get on, she was going to. If I did, she could hit me in. That helped." Christner hit .393, with 21 home runs and 67 RBI. Junior utility player DIGITAL BONUS: CLICK THE ICON TO PLAY OR STOP THE PODCAST