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Here’s our TLI for Friday, Jan. 13, 2023:
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EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT: LOTTIE LANDMESSER
Ohio State-bound SS Lottie Landmesser, #24 in the 2023 Extra Elite 100, recently talked to Extra Inning Softball about EC Bullets Gold-Schnute, hitting and fielding lessons, Alliance Nationals, high school softball, McKaela Walker, Ohio State, business or physical therapy, Haleigh Dickey, Pitbull, “Vampire Diaries” and flag football.
EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: Lottie Landmesser
Hometown: Canton, GA
High School: Cherokee High
Club Team: East Cobb Bullets 18U Gold-Schnute
Graduation Year: 2023
Height: 5-foot-5
Position: SS
Nickname: Money
Twitter: @LLandmesser2023
Honors: #24 in the 2023 Extra Elite 100; Vince Dooley Award-Female Althlete of the Year (2022); Scholastic Letter; The Lamp of Knowledge; part of the Student Athlete Leadership Team; and GADC All-State player.
Travel Ball Fall Stats: 15 games, .330 AVG, .400 OBP, 6 extra-base hits, .962 fielding percentage and clinched Alliance Nationals berth.
High School Highlights/Stats: Regional Playoffs, 1st Team All-Region, 1st team All-County, CHS Vince J. Dooley Female Athlete of the Year Award winner, GADC State Senior All-Star, .340 AVG, .418 OBP, .711 SLG, 16 (7 HRs) extra-base hits.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? I have played for the East Cobb Bullets for the past five years, going on six, and it has been and absolute pleasure. They have shown me what dedication, leadership, hard work and courage looks like. The organization has brought me so many amazing teammates and coaches over years, everyone I’ve met along the way has helped shaped me into the women I am today. I had just gotten cut from my team in 2018 when I met Todd Mayfield. He took me under his wing and saw something in me that not many did. He pushed me every day on and off the field and I am forever grateful for every opportunity and his belief because I wouldn’t be anywhere without it.
Do you have any suggestions for training methods or apps and why? I would suggest going to a hitting and fielding lesson at least once a week. I have been doing this for almost six years and it has elevated my game tremendously. And of course, you should be hitting or doing glove work almost every day of the week either at home or any available field. I would also recommend having a mental coach because the majority of the game is in your head and to play this game of failure you need to be incredibly mentally strong.
Can you tell us about your experience at Alliance Nationals this summer? Last summer at the Alliance Nationals, in Indiana, we didn’t play the best and it wasn’t the ending we were hoping for, but it was a blast to be playing with my best friends. It was so cool to see my teammates playing in the All-Star game, and I’m hoping I will get the chance to do that this year!
What was your favorite fall tournament/event and why? Well, since I live in Georgia, we play school ball in the fall, so that has to be my favorite fall event by far! This year, my senior night was amazing. I hit a grand slam and got to spend the night celebrating with all my friends and family. I also got the opportunity to play in the first ever softball game at Truist Park for the GADC All-State Game, which was a huge honor.
Which player/team was your toughest opponent and why? My toughest opponent was my own teammate, McKaela Walker. She pushed me every day, and taught me that nothing is given to you. She made me an incredible player and the reason why I know how to fight for my position. We both grew extremely close while fighting for that starting spot.
Can you talk about your decision to commit to Ohio State? While going through the recruiting process a couple years ago, I felt incredibly stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted. But when I got the chance to talk to Coach Kelly (Kovach) and the rest of the coaching staff at Ohio State, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders because they were extremely welcoming and easy to talk to. After my visit, I knew for sure that I wanted to go to Ohio State. The coaches, campus, team, recruits, atmosphere, facilities, sports and the school overall was incredibly hard to say no too.
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I am currently unsure about what I want to do in the future, but I have thought about going into business, physical therapy or anything involving sports.
Who is your sports hero and why? My sports hero is Haleigh Dickey. She played D1 softball at North Carolina and she is also my hitting instructor. She has made an incredible impact on my game and me as a person, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. She taught me how to believe in myself, and to show the world who I am with no shame. I will carry the lessons she has taught me for the rest of my life and I’m so grateful to have her in my life.
What’s the best hype song and why? My go-to song is “Timber” (by Pitbull feat. Ke$ha) because it’s the song we played the whole time during the state playoffs in Columbus, and it brings me back to those moments.
What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? I love to binge “Vampire Diaries” because I notice something new every time I watch the series, which makes it more interesting and hard to stop watching.
Do you have a secret talent/skill? It’s not much of a secret talent, but I play flag football for my high school, which is now a varsity sport in Georgia thanks to Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons!
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