Player Profile – Annelise Oswalt (4/29)

Apr 29, 2014 by Brentt Eads

For today’s profile we head to Texas to look at an outstanding two-way player who will be staying in the Lone Star State to compete at the next level…

Annelise can pitch and hit equally well. Photo by Tim Mummey.

Name: ANNELISE OSWALT
Grad Year: 2015
Pos: pitcher/infielder
High School: Flower Mound (Texas)
Club: Texas Glory-Shelton
Stats (if known): 2014 (currently): hitting .485; pitching record of 16-3
Honors: District 5-5A Co-MVP in 2013; District 8-5A Newcomer of the Year and Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) All-Area Newcomer of the Year in 2012
College: Texas Tech

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: Everything is bigger in Texas—or so they say! Do you have a long drive to practice with your Texas Glory-Shelton team?
Annelise Oswalt: Not at all. Compared to other people on my team, I have a short drive of only 45 minutes.

SSS.com: Speaking of Texas, there are a lot of great high school and club teams in the Lone Star State… how would you compare softball in your backyard with that of play in other areas, be it California, the South, the Midwest, etc?
AO: Texas definitely has a lot of talent, especially in the Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) and Houston areas. We travel across the country to play the best teams, which are usually found in California tournaments.

SSS.com: You can pitch as well as hit the ball with authority… do you see yourself doing one or the other or both at Texas Tech?
AO: I plan to both hit and pitch at Texas Tech. I was recruited mostly for hitting, but also expect to play infield corners and pitch when needed.

Annelise started going to the Texas Tech camps in the 6th grade and it paid off with a scholarship.

SSS.com: You committed last summer… tell us how you were ID’d by the coaches and how the recruiting process went including when they offered you.
AO: When I was in the 6^th grade I went to my first Texas Tech pitching camp and continued going to them to stay on their radar and it paid off. In the summer after my sophomore year, they offered me before the Colorado tournament, and I accepted their offer after the tournament.

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
AO: I decided to commit last summer after the Colorado tournament. That is when I thought would be the best time. I had interest from other teams while in Colorado. I came to the decision after weighing all of my options. I had visited Tech a few times before and just felt inside that it was my home.

SSS.com: Was the recruiting process exciting, tedious/stressful or both?
AO: The recruiting process was a mix of emotions. It was both exciting and stressful. It was exciting to visit different schools and see what was out there, and it was stressful because committing was one of the biggest decisions I have ever made. It was a lot to think about but I don’t doubt my decision at all.

SSS.com: Do a scouting report on yourself without giving away too many secrets! What pitches do you have in your repertoire and what is your “go-to” pitch when you need that third out?
AO: I’m a drop ball pitcher and I’ll go both in and out. My “go-to” pitch is the change-up to keep the batters off-balance.

SSS.com: How far away from home will be? Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
AO: I will be five hours away from home when I go to Texas Tech. Distance was not a factor in my decision, but it’s nice to be able to make a trip to Lubbock and back all in one day so my parents will be able to come to games.

SSS.com: List your top three assets as a softball player that has you playing in the Big 12…
AO: Number 1… attitude, number 2… strength, and number 3… speed.

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
AO: I will always remember placing 3^rd at ASA 12U Nationals in Illinois as well as placing 2^nd in Triple Crown Nationals last year in Tahoe. It’s awesome to be on a team with good friends that mesh well and make it to the end of the biggest tournaments.

Quick Hitters

What would you like to do after your playing days conclude?
I plan to go to medical school and become an anesthesiologist.

The pitcher was a co-MVP of her district as a sophomore last season. Photo by Tim Mummey.

Describe yourself in one word:
Determined.

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be?
Zach Efron.

Favorite TV show:
Impractical Jokers.

Funniest thing you’ve ever seen on the field:
I pitched a change-up to a slapper and she tried to stop her swing, tripped herself, and fell over out in front of home plate.

What’s your dream vacation?
Fiji.

What type of bat do you use (and why do you like it)?
Demarini Phenix. It’s an old school bat with a lot of pop!

What is your ideal dinner and dessert?
I would want to go to a Brazilian steakhouse for dinner and follow-up it up with tiramisu for dessert.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I’m addicted to Chipotle burrito bowls and always have to have my nails done.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals you have to do on the field?
No. I just try to outwork my opponent.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
A phone to call someone so they could determine my location and find me.

What’s your No. 1 goal for 2014?
Be part of my high school team that makes it to state playoffs and make it to the top at nationals with my Texas Glory Gold team.

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
I really look up to my select (Kevin Shelton, Ed Naudin) and high school (Mark Larriba) coaches. They genuinely want to help players get better while doing what they love and sacrificing a lot of their time for us.