Dodgers' Will Klein's College Coach Praises Heroic Game 3 Performance

The baseball world learned Will Klein's name following his massive pitching performance for the Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday ... but there's at least one guy who wasn't surprised one bit -- his college coach!!

We chopped it up with Jason Anderson -- the manager of the Eastern Illinois Panthers -- after his former player helped lift L.A. to a 2-1 lead over Toronto.

Anderson, who the New York Yankees selected in the 2000 MLB Draft, said he initially fell asleep during the 12th inning ... but was jolted awake by his son when he noticed Klein on the mound.

"I was pretty glued after that," Anderson said.

Having watched the 25-year-old since he was in high school ... he called his four-inning playoff outing "incredible."

"I knew he would take the ball and go out there and compete. But just everything he's been through in his career to be ready for that moment and to go out there and get that team a win, truly incredible. And it was like he was destined to be out there."

Despite the confidence he had in his former flame-thrower ... he said what Klein did Monday night was not something he's accustomed to doing.

"He had not done that a whole lot in his career, throw that many pitches, and you could see him losing a little bit of command."

Still, Anderson said if L.A. needed Will again Tuesday night, he would be ready to take the ball.

While Klein is nearly 2,000 miles away from his alma mater, Anderson said he made sure to shoot him a text and told him "how proud we were of him."