By Aaron Yost
For the Democrat-Herald | Posted: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 12:00 am
CORVALLIS - Logan Lotti hasn't been around Corvallis very long, but he's thinking of making it his permanent home.
The starting right fielder for the Corvallis Knights - and future Oregon State outfielder - hasn't found anything to dislike since he arrived in early June from Sierra College.
"I was a little baffled, though, when we came here the first week of June and it was raining here," he said. "That was a little depressing, but it's nothing I can't get used to. That's why we have umbrellas. Fortunately I've got about three of those waiting in my closet and I'm sure I can throw a poncho or two in there."
Lotti is in the perfect position in the community this summer: by playing for the Knights he has a chance to become acquainted with the confines of Goss Stadium, come to know the city and begin getting familiar with Oregon State's tree-lined campus before fall term starts.
"I think this is the perfect, perfect community for Logan, along with a lot of other athletes who have come into Corvallis and Oregon State," Knights coach Brooke Knight said. "If I'm a parent of an athlete, I would consider this one of the top places to go to college. There's just enough to do, and with the support behind Oregon State and the community of quality people, it's going to be just right for Logan to keep moving ahead."
A Corvallis native who attended Crescent Valley and played both football and baseball at Oregon State, Knight is a reasonable judge for someone like Lotti, who is attracted as much by the outdoor offerings surrounding the community as he is by OSU's two College World Series titles.
Get Lotti away from the ballpark and he is more likely to be enjoying himself on the river or hiking in the woods than holding a video game controller.
"I'm really glad that I picked Oregon State to go to because it's everything that I could have asked for," Lotti said. "It fits my personality perfect. It's a lot like my hometown."
Being in town three months before fall term begins is also giving Lotti a chance to get to know some of his future teammates at OSU. Three Beavers play for the Knights: Taylor Starr, John Wallace and Josh Osich. Lotti's current roommate is Osich, a lefthanded pitcher with a few quirks.
"He stinks," Lotti said. "The guy is superstitious and his superstition is he won't take a shower until he pitches, so it, it's ridiculous. He'll wear the same jersey four days in a row if we don't switch and the same undershirt.
"He just reeks, but I love the guy. He has a great pesonality. He's going to be an awesome roommate to
live with."