Ottawa junior pitcher Addie Russell and pitching coach Sloan Gayan have the utmost trust in each other’s abilities.

“Her experience, her success and being around and pitching at the level she has ... I trust her,” Russell said of Sloan. “It’s rare, but there are times I don’t necessarily agree with what pitch she calls, but in those times I just try to make the best pitch I can. She knows what she’s doing.

“She knows what connects with me, what sinks in. We really talk the same language. To have her as my pitching coach is pretty special.”

As a sophomore, Russell finished with a 16-11 record, 208 strikeouts and a 1.36 earned-run average over 179⅔ innings. She was awarded third-team ICA 3A All-State accolades, a first-team spot on the Interstate 8 All-Conference Team and was a unanimous pick to the Times All-Area first team.

Heading into Wednesday’s Class 3A Geneseo Regional semifinal against Rochelle, Russell is 14-6 with a 2.23 ERA with 123 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 125 innings.

“There are times, not often though, when I call a pitch that I know she doesn’t want to throw, but I really want it against a certain hitter because I feel it’s the best pitch for the situation,” Gayan said. “This is when the true trust comes in. Addie trusts me enough to throw that pitch.

“I’m all for pitchers calling me off when they are convicted on a pitch they want instead. Addie and I have trust in each other, and 99% of the time are on the same page.”

Gayan was The Times 2019 Softball Player of the Year, a unanimous Times All-Area first-team pick, named to the Illinois Coaches Association 3A All-State first team and Northern Illinois Big 12 West Division first team, as well as being the league’s co-MVP her senior season at Ottawa. She was 21-7 with a 1.48 ERA and 315 strikeouts over 179 2/3 innings

She made 46 appearances, 13 starts and won eight games for the University of Kentucky in her four-year pitching career at the D-I level.

“Addie is a much different pitcher than I was, but we are also the same in a lot of ways,” Gayan said. “She throws the same pitches I did, and she normally has one pitch every game that is really on. I feel like, because of that, it makes it very easy to call pitches for her.”

During a game, the communication between Russell and Gayan is pretty simple. Gayan charts the type and locations of pitches thrown to each batter. Before each pitch, Russell looks over to the dugout to get a three-digit hand signal from Gayan. Russell then has a chart on her wristband to decipher the code.

“I normally look at the charts before a game, especially if it’s a team we’ve already played this year, and during the game sometimes,” Russell said. “We also talk about certain hitters and how she feels will be the best way to attack them.

“[The wristband] is just a bunch of color-coated squares with abbreviations for the type of pitch and location. When I get her signs, it’s just a matter of cross-referencing the numbers on my wristband.

“We talk a lot in between innings about what pitches are really working well that day or how a pitch that wasn’t working well two innings ago is working now. I know Sloan sees a lot of that from the dugout, but I also think communicating with her on those things is only going to help us adjust our approach.”

Gayan says that, along with the actual chart and the results, she also makes notes on how a batter reacted to a pitch.

“I chart every game. I want to have an idea when a batter comes up the third time what has and hasn’t worked,” Gayan said. “Sometimes it’s a small sample, but along with the chart, I make notes on other things that can help me make the best choice.”

Gayan said two instances came to mind where the chart and communication were keys to a successful outcome.

“Against La Salle-Peru, there was a situation in a tight spot where I knew, after reviewing the chart, that a changeup or consecutive changeups were the play. Addie doesn’t throw her changeup often, but she trusted me, made two really good pitches, and we got the out to end the threat.

“There was also a game where Addie came in after the first inning and said her curveball just wasn’t there. The game plan was to pitch most of our opposing batters away, but we switched it up and went inside instead, and she pitched a great game. It’s all about the trust,” Gayan said.