TWCA Spring 2025

feature SOFTBALL on a mission Osterhaus a Central Figure In TWCA Softball’s Stunning Resurgence

\\ By Matthew Ogle

THE SECRET IS OUT THAT THE WARRIORS ARE NO LONGER A TEAM TO BE OVERLOOKED, FOLLOWING A HISTORIC SPRING, WHICH SAW THEM CLAIM A DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP PRIOR TO REACHING THE REGIONAL ROUND OF THE TAPPS-II POSTSEASON. Alongside star pitcher Keira Crosby (Clemson-commit) and junior shortstop Reagan Rohrlich (Texas A&M), senior Alexis Osterhaus completes the ‘Big-Three’ that elevates the roster to new heights. With that experience under their belts, paired with the much more considerable depth the team features this time around, expectations have never been higher. “Last year, people didn’t know what we were capable of, and we definitely made a name for ourselves,” said Osterhaus. “I feel that, we are an even more polished team heading into this season. I genuinely believe that people have an idea of what could happen with us, but we have more than what they expect.” Individually, Osterhaus earned a first-team, all-district nod for her efforts, in addition to receiving a TAPPS all-state honorable mention. From the third base spot, she’s fine-tuned numerous recognizable attributes that’s made her the renowned player she is today. “I think I’m extremely athletic with quick reflexes,” she said. “So, if a ball is coming my way, my reflexes are able to kick in rapidly. Not everyone has the ‘softball mindset’ sometimes, which just means being decisive in the key moments, but I just feel that comes naturally to me from my position.” While some athletes have been a part of The Woodlands Christian Academy school system from the beginning, Osterhaus transferred during her sophomore year, from a place she describes as a “little town” in Maine. Though that would be a significant change for anyone, the move has made all the difference. “The whole reason why I moved from Maine to Texas was for competitive softball,” she said. “My freshman year there, I made the newspaper cover because I like to think I was something of a ‘big fish in a small pond’. But my family and I thought it would be best for my high school experience and better collegiate opportunities to move down here. “I definitely think that it has challenged me because I’ve played girls who are better than me, which has helped me to improve and become more competitive. I see now that it was God’s blessing and I’m also just grateful to have been part of this community.” The Texas spotlight led to her commitment to continue her playing with the Army Black Knights in West Point, New York, where she later intends to join the Ordnance Corps. However, Osterhaus has one more mission to complete with TWCA: secure the softball program’s first-ever TAPPS state championship.

Alexis Osterhaus

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THE WOODLANDS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY \\ SPRING 2025 \\ vype.com