By Michael Butler

Lexi Stevenson will soon be taking over the Tallassee High School softball program. She is no stranger to it as a former player and now assistant coach.

Stevenson grew up in the program as she will follow her father Pat Love, who spent nine seasons at the helm. He is moving over to assist with THS baseball.

“Tallassee holds a special place in my heart, this community and softball program,” she said. “I do have some big shoes to fill.”

Love won 254 games with his daughter being a part of a lot of those wins. She graduated in 2021 and went on to play at AUM.

“We will definitely see him,” Stevenson said of her father. “I played for my daddy and have a lot of his coaching tendencies. We are different in ways, but I will do a lot of the same things. He was very successful, so why wouldn’t I? But, I played softball at AUM. There are things I’d like to (bring) from there.”

In her four-year career at AUM she hit .279 with 12 homeruns and 84 RBIs. As a catcher she had a .981 fielding percentage.

“I graduated in December and started helping out in January. This isn’t an opportunity that everybody gets at 23. I’m extremely lucky and blessed.”

The season may be over six months away, but Stevenson is already preparing.

“We didn’t have any seniors this past year, so everybody’s coming back. I’m excited.”