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We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
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Here’s our TLI for Friday, April 15:
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EXTRA SPOTLIGHT: MCKENZIE OSLANZI
2023 P/1B McKenzie Oslanzi recently talked to Extra Inning Softball about playing for Peoria Sluggers 18U Gold, Ottawa Township, the recruiting process and choosing Eastern Illinois, Subway surfing and the Nationals…
EXTRA SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: McKenzie Oslanzi
Hometown: Marseilles, IL
High School: Ottawa Township High
Club Team: Peoria Sluggers 18U Gold
Graduation Year: 2023
Height: 5-foot-9
Position: P/1B
Nickname: Kenz or Kenzie
Twitter: @moslanzi
Travel Ball Fall/Winter Stats: Hitting — 87 AB, .310 AVG, .362 OBP, 7 doubles and 2 triples; Pitching — 71.1 IP, 17 ER, 1.66 ERA, 57 Ks, 56 hits and 13 walks.
High School Highlights: Hitting — 29 AB, .586 AVG, .600 OBP, 7 doubles, 1 BB and 1 SO; Pitching — 36 IP, 6 ER, 1.16 ERA, 54 Ks, 23 hits and 7 BB.
Tell us about your travel team/organization… how you became involved with them?
My travel team, Peoria Sluggers 18U Gold, has been my favorite team to play with. They have become family to me these past three seasons. I first heard of them a few weeks before subbing with them late 2018 and about a year later I joined the team officially.
Ever since then, I’ve been treated respectfully and have received the experience of playing so many different teams. My coach has been a big part of my recruiting process and helped me through it the whole time. I wouldn’t have had as much experience without my team and coaches.
Can you talk about your experience at Ottawa Township High?
My experience at Ottawa has been very helpful and fun. They get us ready for the future while still having the best time. They offer a lot of help when figuring out what we want to do after we graduate. I am very grateful for all the help I’ve gotten so far.
Can you talk about the recruiting process and how you ended up choosing Eastern Illinois?
When I joined Peoria Sluggers, they had me choose colleges I was interested in. It was a long, tiring and exciting process, but at the end of the day it was all worth it. When looking at schools, my coaches mentioned Eastern Illinois to me, so I looked into the school. They had the majors I wanted and from pictures online it looked like it was a nice campus.
When I took my first visit there in October, I instantly fell in love with the environment and campus. The coaches were very nice to me and that was one of the main reasons why I ended up choosing Eastern Illinois. I felt like I was already being treated like a student-athlete there. I am so excited to be able to play softball at the next level at Eastern Illinois.
Do you have a secret talent/skill?
I am really good at the game Subway Surfer.
What’s your most memorable softball story?
My favorite softball memory is the last day of TCS Summer Nationals in Myrtle Beach. We played five games that day and it was very hot. We kept fighting till the very end while still having fun in the heat. The whole week we were 7-1. We ended up getting 3rd place for Nationals!
*** Scroll down to read more in today’s TLI including our News & Notes for this, Jackie Robinson Day…