Coming into a high school softball program as loaded as Center Grove’s, even the most talented freshmen often have to wait their turn.
Lexi Fair did her fair share of waiting last season, and now that she’s getting the opportunity to showcase her talents on a full-time basis, the sophomore isn’t wasting it.
Sliding into the middle of the Trojan lineup after spending most of last year coming off the bench in lopsided games, Fair has quickly emerged as one of the area’s most fearsome hitters, providing another big bat behind established upperclassmen Jordyn Rudd and Abby Herbst.
Heading into a three-game stretch this week that includes a showdown with Class 3A power New Palestine — which handed Center Grove its lone regular-season defeat last season — Fair is batting a solid .442 with four home runs and 18 runs batted in.
Getting the chance to be in the lineup on a more regular basis has made Fair more comfortable at the plate, and it’s showing.
“It’s made me a lot more confident, because it’s better than coming off the bench into playing and having only one at-bat per game,” she said. “Now I get to constantly see a pitcher, see more pitches and get to make adjustments if I screw up. It’s made me more confident up at the plate.”
Fair made her presence felt right away in this year’s opener, a 4-1 victory over Roncalli. Facing a top-tier pitcher in Rebel sophomore Amber Linton, Fair cranked a three-run homer that proved to be the difference in the game.Â
But she’s not all power. Fair has seven multi-hit games this season, including a three-hit effort against Carmel that thoroughly impressed Trojan coach Russ Milligan.
“(Carmel’s pitcher) was a little bit of a junker and hitting her spots, and Lexi adapted,” Milligan recalled. “While other girls were struggling, she went 3 for 4.”
Milligan has been similarly impressed by Fair’s performance behind the plate. Taking over for an All-State catcher in Rudd (who is now playing shortstop), Fair has made the transition a smooth one for Herbst and the other Center Grove pitchers.
“She’s got a cannon. She doesn’t have quite the release of Jordyn but has an inherently stronger arm,” Milligan said. “Then the question was, can she call a game? And she’s proven that over and over again.”
Fair has also proven that she’s got a powerful bat to go with that powerful arm — but while she’s capable of sending any ill-advised pitch over the fence, hitting home runs has never been her primary focus.
“Hit the ball on the ground, make solid contact,” Fair explained. “As long as I’m not popping it up in the infield, I’m pretty content with it. It’s move the runners, basically. I just want to benefit my team the best that I can.”
So far, she’s done an excellent job with that. Along with classmate Kaci Finchum (.551, 1 HR, 19 RBI), Fair has blended seamlessly into the always powerful Trojan lineup.
Batting behind a pair of major Division I college recruits, Fair knows she’s going to get pitches to hit — and she’s taken full advantage.
“She’s in the easiest spot in the world,” Milligan said. “She’s batting 5 behind Jordyn Rudd and Abby Herbst. And she knows that, and she knows she’s going to get pitches, and she’s loving it.
“(Fair and Finchum) are reaping the benefits of having those two superstars, and they’re becoming superstars themselves.”
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Having the chance to be in the lineup full-time has made a big difference for Lexi Fair. A comparison of the numbers from her freshman and sophomore seasons:
Year;AB;Avg.;HR;RBI
2017;54;.370;2;18
2018;43;.442;4;18
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