Sometimes prayers are answered and for Coach Dana Fusetti she’ll always be convinced that pitcher Lexie Hames was heaven sent.
“Lexie was the pitcher who was an answer to a prayer,” she begins. “I remember the exact moment I prayed for God to send a pitcher to my team and about MAYBE an hour later I got a phone call from Coach Jim Moats, her pitching coach in Pennsylvania, asking me if I needed a pitcher.”
Despite being heavily pursued by other teams, Lexie felt comfortable with Coach Dana and the feeling is mutual.
“I think what makes Lexie special is her dominant pitching and as, one Power 5 coach said: ‘She’s not a pitcher that likes to hit. She is a pitcher that can flat out hit.’”
The current junior showed off her stick in California at PGF Nationals with seven home runs and September 1st at midnight the excitement started with 33 coaches reaching out and another seven in the following days.
Here’s more on this rising star of the ’25 class who, her coach says, has a nickname belying her toughness and domination on the field.
“Her nickname,” Coach Dana reveals, “is pinkalicious! Off the field, Lexie is a very girly girl.”
Try telling that to the numerous pitchers she’s taken yard…
*****
Name: LEXIE HAMES
Hometown/ST: Harmony, PA
Grad Year: 2025
Position(s): RHP
Club Team: Carolina Elite 16U National – Fusetti/Watson
High School (City/ST): Seneca Valley Senior High School, Harmony, Pennsylvania
GPA: 4.3
In your eyes, what are some of the top honors and accomplishments you’ve achieved individually and with your teams?
Individually these are all of the honors I have had:
- 6A Cover Three Athletics Player of the Year (‘22 & ‘23),
- 6A Post Gazette player of the year (‘22 & ‘23)
- Pittsburgh Union Progress most feared slugger, best pitcher, and 6A overall player of the year (2023),
- Tribune Review 6A softball player of the year (2023),
- All-state first team (‘22 & ‘23)
- Pennsylvania 6A pitcher of the year (2023)
- BIG 56 All Section second team (2022),
- BIG 56 All Section first team (2023),
- All Area team (‘22 & ‘23),
- Seneca Valley athlete of the month (‘22 &’23)
- selected for leader of Seneca Valley student athlete leadership team,
- PGF sophomore All American finalist,
- Extra Inning Softball Player of the Week, runner-up (2),
- Extra Innings Extra Elite 100 (2025) ranked #34 overall and #17 for pitchers,
- Extra Inning Softball All-American 1st pitcher.
I include all of them because no matter how big or small the award might be, they all mean the same as they have taken the same amount of sacrifices, time, effort, grit, perseverance, love, and massive amounts of practice to achieve. Therefore. each one of them is celebrated and listed in my top awards.
As for my favorite team awards, they are.
- PIAA state runner up (2022),
- WPIAL champions (2022),
- WPIAL runners-up (2023),
- PGF Nationals runner-up (2022).
What’s been your most memorable softball experience?
My most memorable softball experience is riding the bus to Penn State my freshman year to compete in states. The energy was absolutely crazy, after all of our naps of course. We spent definitely more than over an hour singing, dancing, and of course braiding hair.
I don’t think I have ever laughed and smiled so hard, especially heading to arguably the biggest game I have ever played. Even though the game didn’t end up how we wanted it too, I will forever remember the memories made on that bus on the way to the game.
What would you say are your strengths on the field?
I would say my biggest strength is staying calm and focused even in times of struggle and big pressured moments as well. I also think having confidence and trust in the team behind me, contributes to this as well.
However, I would also think another strength is creating a dominant presence on the mound and within the box.
Have you set personal goals for yourself for this year?
My biggest personal goal is to commit to a Power 5 D1 school. It has been my dream and goal since I was little and in T-ball, but it is definitely my biggest and most focused goal for this year.
How did your Sept. 1st go? Was it more fun, nerve-wracking or a combo of both?
I believe it was super good. It was both nerve-wracking and fun. But I would also include the mixed emotions of exciting and overwhelming. I had a generous number of schools reach out, but I wanted to give each one the respected amount of time and energy on my part. Each of these programs are highly respectable and I was extremely blessed for each opportunity.
Without mentioning names (coach or college), what did those reaching out to you say or write? Anything in particular that impressed you with the contacts?
The most exciting phrase some of the coaches described me as was a “game changer.” They believe that as a player, I could affect a program in major ways not only on the mound but in the box. That I could be their program’s next All-American.
I was extremely surprised to hear this, and extremely thankful that I could receive such a compliment from a variety of coaches and programs.
What will be your process in narrowing your list down?
I think just talking with coaches, seeing their interest and view of my role in their program. As well as having competitive academics is extremely important.
Have you visited any/some of the campuses yet? If not, what’s the plan as it stands right now?
I haven’t yet, but I will be visiting some schools in the upcoming weeks, finalizing a schedule, and going from there!
How has Coach Dana helped you in this recruiting journey?
She has been amazing. From the contacts to the coaches to the tips she has taught me with camps, emails, texts and, especially September first I genuinely wouldn’t have been able to do it without her. Her knowledge within the recruiting process is 100 percent unlike anyone else’s. I have truly been blessed to have such an amazing coach.
If you could give advice to the next class coming up about being recruited, what would you say?
First, Enjoy the moment. Make sure to take the time and enjoy your gift, everything you worked hard for, and each minute in each game regardless if you are winning or losing. Don’t get so caught up on recruiting and your future. If you don’t enjoy the here and now you will never make any memories that in the end, when you can’t lace up your cleats and go play, you will still have.
However, it is still important to stay consistent. Coaches need to see you are constantly interested in their program. Contact them about every other week. It doesn’t always have to be something about your stats or wins vs losses in a tournament. Just maybe sending something about your family, or even something important to you that you did recently. Consistency is definitely key.
Off the field, what’s a talent or skill that you have that most people don’t know about?
I love to bake. I am always making something, most of the time dying it pink. But that is a skill I believe I have really developed, and nobody seems to think baking is something I would do. But I am definitely always learning how to bake something new and is a skill I have acquired quite well.
If you could go anywhere in the world for a week, where would you like to go? And why?
I would love to go to Greece. I have always wanted to go; it is my No. 1 bucket list location. The beaches are gorgeous, and the architecture is beautiful. I am also a big history person, and Greece had a-lot of historic significance, so I definitely would love to spend the week there.
If you could wave a magic wand and change something about the sport of softball, what would you alter or fix?
I would say taking the pressure off 10-year-olds and 12-year-olds with performing at such a high standard. I know since the game has progressed, with new technology, teaching techniques, and research the standards for young kids have grown.
However, I believe younger kids should be able to develop and grow the love for the game and have fun before having to focus and really decide if this is something they want to do after high school. But ranking them and having such high expectations for these younger kids I believe to force some girls out of the sport. I also think softball should be in the Olympics permanently, not on and off.
Finally, what are you passionate in life about, along with softball?
I am extremely passionate about equality in women’s sports. I know we have made major strides in the past couple years, however, I am passionate about continuing to push for equality in professional women’s sports, as well as high school women’s sports, having the same benefits as the men do meaning the same facilities, opportunities, and pay.
I am also passionate about getting more women and young girls involved in the sport. I am extremely passionate about getting other young girls to experience the same love for the game I do, as well as spreading it.
— Brentt Eads/Extra Inning Softball
