Get on board with Line Drive Media’s regular feature, The Final Pitch!

We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.

To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at carlos.arias@linedrivemedia.com, DM at @los_stuff on Twitter or text (949) 606-3602.

Here’s our TFP for Friday, July 25, 2025:

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THE FINAL PITCH: ANALIESE HOLMES

Uncommitted 2029 SS/UT Analiese Holmes, #10 in the 2029 Line Drive Hot 100, recently talked to Line Drive Media about Impact Gold National 2029-Holmes, PGF/Alliance Nationals, USA Softball All-American and USA Softball HPP, Triple Crown Colorado 4th of July, Louisiana players, getting stronger and mental game, Athletics Mercado-Romero, Texas Bombers Gold-Malpass and Impact Gold-Jazz, overcoming injury, future college, college camps, veterinarian, science, Taylor Pleasants, “The Mamba Mentality,” Michael Buble, Dodgers, “The Princess and the Frog” and drawing and painting.

THE FINAL PITCH Q&A

Name: Analiese Holmes

Hometown: Alexandria, LA

High School: Pineville High

Club Team: Impact Gold National 2029-Holmes 14U

Graduation Year: 2029

Height: 5-6

Position/s: SS/UT

Nickname: My nickname for softball is “6” because that has always been my jersey number, but at home my parents call me “Toots” because when I was little, I loved Toodles from Mickey Mouse. Every time it would come on TV, they said I would just smile ear to ear!

Social Media: @analiese_holmes on Instagram and @Analiese_Holmes on Twitter

Honors: #10 in the 2029 Line Drive Hot 100, Student of the Year nominee (2025), 2024 USA Softball All-American (2024), USA Softball HPP national selection (2024) and USA Softball HPP national top performer (2024).

Travel Ball Summer 2024 Stats: 137 ABs, .423 AVG, .517 OBP, 1.138 OPS, 8 doubles, 5 triples, 3 HRs, 27 RBIs, 49 runs, 29 BBs, 18 SBs and .979 fielding percentage.

Travel Ball Fall 2024 Stats: 76 ABs, .421 AVG, .471 OBP, 1.050 OPS, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 1 HR, 17 RBIs, 24 runs, 7 BBs, 6 SBs and .976 fielding percentage.

Travel Ball Summer 2025 Stats (So Far): 134 ABs, .410 AVG, .509 OBP, 1.106 OPS, 15 doubles, 5 triples, 29 RBIs, 45 runs, 20 BBs, 15 SBs and .945 fielding percentage.

Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? Our travel team, Impact Gold National 2029-Holmes, started from our Dixie World Series runner-up All-Star team. We played mostly local tournaments to start and ended up traveling to look for more competition. We joined Impact Gold our 9U season and have been with Jazz (Jackson Vesely) ever since. I’ve made so many friendships playing with this team and traveling all over the country. I couldn’t imagine playing for any other organization!

Tell us about your experience at PGF/Alliance Nationals? My experience last year at PGF Nationals in Huntington Beach, California, was a really good one! I enjoyed every second with my team and family, along with the nice weather! Our team had a great run and placed 5th overall. I leave next week to head to my first Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series in Indiana on July 25th-31st, as a top-5 seed. I’m really excited to get out there with my team!

Can you talk about becoming a USA Softball All-American and your involvement with USA Softball HPP? Being selected as a USA Softball All-American to represent Region 4 was a great experience. I got to meet lots of new people and play the sport that I love. My involvement with USA Softball HPP was a great overall experience, as well! I loved meeting new girls and competing with them on the field. Off the field, I enjoyed watching my other Impact Gold teammates and cheering them on while they were playing. I was named one of the top performers at the 2024 USA Softball HPP, which is a complete honor with all of the talent that was there. I can’t wait to go back this year!

Can you talk about your experience at the recent Triple Crown Colorado 4th of July? Colorado is always one of my favorite softball trips. This is our third year playing in the Sparkler. The weather is really nice, the competition is always great and they have a lot of activities to do outside of softball like feeding chipmunks and white-water rafting. Our team had a great week as a first-year 14U team, placing 2nd overall in the National Power Pool! Every teammate did their part throughout the week to help us get to the championship game. It will definitely be a tournament I never forget!

What makes players from the state of Louisiana special? I think that the players from Louisiana are special because sports are a way of life in smaller towns like where I’m from. Being from a smaller town allows players to play multiple sports for their schools, which helps make us better athletes. Also, I believe players from Louisiana have a gritty, no-quit mentality that shows on the field.

What was your biggest focus in the offseason? My biggest focus was working on becoming stronger in the gym, but also working on my mental game so I can become the best teammate on and off the field.

Which player/team has been your toughest opponent and why? We have played a lot of very good teams in the past seasons, so there are a lot to choose from. Athletics Mercado-Romero, Texas Bombers Gold-Malpass and Impact Gold 14U-Jazz are a few that really stick out to me. They all have good pitching, can swing it at the plate and never quit. Anytime that we play these teams, it is always a great game!

What have you faced/overcome in life that has made you the person you are today? One thing that I have faced in my life was fracturing my wrist a little over a year ago. I was out for eight weeks, which was really a challenge because I couldn’t do a lot of work to get better and I felt like I would get behind as a player. It taught me that even when I couldn’t be on the field helping my team, there were other ways to be a good teammate and positive influence. I feel like that injury helped me understand other ways of being a good teammate outside of actually playing on the field.

What are you looking for in a future college? In college, I want to major in Veterinarian Medicine, so I want a school that has a good vet program. I’m also looking for a softball program that has a good culture and a staff that I will feel comfortable with.

What college camps have you attended and are you planning to attend and why? I have attended LSU’s Elite 50 Camp along with LA Tech’s Prospect Camp. I am looking forward to exploring more camps like Mississippi State, University of Louisiana Lafayette, Auburn, Texas A&M and Duke. I’d like to learn more about the programs and what each school has to offer future students. I also like looking around the campus, as well.

What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I am interested in developing my own veterinarian clinic because I love animals. I think that is something I would look forward to every day.

What’s your favorite subject to study in school and why? My favorite subject in school is science because it is about the world, outerspace and things around me! I just find it very interesting!

Who is your sports hero and why? My sports hero is Taylor Pleasants (a former NFCA 2nd Team All-American at LSU, a Team USA member and AUSL professional) because I have liked her from a very young age. I love the way that she holds herself on and off the field! Being able to learn from her at a couple of LSU Camps was a really great experience.

What’s your favorite book to read and why? One of my favorites is “The Mamba Mentality” by Kobe Bryant because he talks about his commitment to detail and how he was determined to outwork anyone.

What’s the best hype song and why? It’s hard to decide, but I would have to say “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé because I like the way it helps me focus and the beat is nice.

What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? I don’t really watch TV shows, but I love to watch the Dodgers play because I feel like baseball is so similar to softball and I just find it really entertaining!

What’s your favorite movie and why? My favorite movie is “The Princess and the Frog” because it is about Louisiana and I love all of the songs in the movie.

Do you have a secret talent/skill? I love drawing and painting in my spare time.

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NEWS & NOTES

***PGF Nationals for 18U Premier/18UPlatinum/16U Premier/16U Platinum will be held July 19-26 in Orange County, CA. To follow the tournament online, CLICK HERE.

***Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series (AFCS) for 18U/16U will be held July 20-27 in Kokomo, IN. To follow the tournament online, CLICK HERE.

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SIGNING/COMMITMENT ALERTS

Payton Crank (2025, OF, Arizona Rising/Pinnacle High, AZ, Utah)

𝙋𝙖𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧!

“Payton possesses the abilities of an impact player and is expected to contribute immediately. As an overall athlete with impressive strength, she will be exciting to watch.”

- Coach Amy Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/50PB8ikPGT

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

Izzy Cruz (2025, IF, Texas Bombers Gold-Smith/New Braunfels High, TX, Utah)

𝙄𝙯𝙯𝙮 𝘾𝙧𝙪𝙯 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙐𝙩𝙖𝙝!

“Izzy has competed and succeeded at a very high level. Her offensive skills will be a significant asset and we expect her to be a crucial part of our lineup.”

- Coach Amy Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/Wsy9upz4us

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

Mia Gomez (2025, 1B, Firecrackers Select-Rico/Brashear/Agoura High, CA, Utah)

𝐌𝐢𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐳 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥!

“We are excited to welcome another true left-handed player to our lineup. Mia is a powerful athlete who will be a tough competitor at the next level.”

- Coach Amy Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/J2I3iHrQ8b

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

Taylor Mediano (2025, P, BSC Bengals-Briggs/St. Joseph High, CA, Utah)

𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐭𝐚𝐡!

“Taylor is one of the top pitchers coming out of California in this class. She has the ability to change speeds and command the zone.”

- Coach Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/N1bVgL8Yc9

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

Cian Noli (2025, UT, Arizona Rising/Chandler High, AZ, Utah)

𝐂𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐥𝐢 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐔𝐭𝐞! 🙌

“Cian is best described as a steady and consistent player. Her capacity to hit for power and utilize both sides of the plate will make her a fantastic addition to our roster.”

- Coach Amy Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/pZn8Ctl4EQ

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

Kaelyn O’Rourke (2025, P, Top Gun National-Turner/Seaman High, KS, Utah)

𝐊𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐎'𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔!

“We are excited to have Kaelyn join our pitching staff. Her ability to spin the ball will be a great asset to get the best hitters out at the next level.”

- Coach Amy Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/i15aqYEhQD

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

Brooke Tacker (2025, C, Utah Fastpitch Club/Riverton High, UT, Utah)

𝘽𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚 𝙏𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚!

“Brooke is one of the top catchers in our state and her defensive abilities are second to none. We look forward to having her stay home to play in front of her friends and family.”

- Coach Amy Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/1WoN5uoS1L

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

Danika Wilson (2025, OF, Suncats Jimenez/Gilroy High, CA, Utah)

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨, 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗸𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻!

“Dani will be flying around our ballpark. She is a true left-handed athlete with a strong arm and good speed. She’s a dynamic player who will benefit us on both sides of the field."

- Coach Amy Hogue#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/b7f5UDJj1n

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) November 13, 2024

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HSOTD

Today’s Hype Song of the Day is …

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BTITW

Today’s Best Thing In The World is …

Kevin Feige says #FantasticFour is a 'no homework required go-see-the movie'

"It’s literally not connected to anything that was made before. It kicks off Phase Six"

(via @Deadline) pic.twitter.com/7nXfLwoasP

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) July 20, 2025

— Carlos Arias, Line Drive Media (Follow Carlos on Twitter @los_stuff)