Seneca Valley's Lexie Hames delivers a pitch against Plum during a home game last season. Butler Eagle File Photo

JACKSON TWP — Lexie Hames had just returned home from attending a concert with her sister.

The Seneca Valley junior softball pitching and hitting standout barely had time to get settled in when her phone started ringing just past midnight on Sept. 1.

College recruiting time.

“It was exciting, but so overwhelming,” Lexie said. “I never expected calls to come in quite that fast.”

“The University of Texas called her at 12:01 a.m.,” said Marlesse Hames, Lexie’s mother and SV softball coach. “A couple of other schools called shortly afterward. She heard from about 40 Division 1 programs in all.

“I’m proud of her. Lexie worked hard to put herself in that position.”

When the dust cleared, Lexie verbally committed to Clemson University of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers are 135-37 over the past three seasons — reaching the NCAA Super Regional the past two years — and 61-21 in ACC play.

She wound up visiting the University of Virginia, Clemson and Penn State. Once she determined Clemson was where she wanted to be, Lexie canceled scheduled visits to Baylor, South Carolina and Texas.

“I like everything about Clemson,” she said. “I want to major in business and minor in biology and the business school is right next to the dorm. The coaches, the players, they’re all like family and they treated me that way.

“Everyone was so friendly and their (softball) facilities are incredible. My host looked a lot like me. It felt like we were sisters.”

Lexie struck out 269 in 122 innings pitched last spring. Her earned run average was 0.45 and she allowed only eight earned runs all season. Offensively, her on-base percentage was .773 as Lexie walked 36 times. She had 11 hits in 28 at bats, including five home runs and a team-leading 14 RBI.

She belted 14 home runs for the Raiders her freshman year.

“Teams didn’t pitch to her last season, but Clemson knows she can hit,” Coach Hames said. “They want her to learn to play first base so they can keep her bat in the lineup when she’s not pitching.

“Clemson had the Player of the Year (last spring) in pitcher-first baseman Valerie Cagle. They’re hoping Lexie can fill that void in a couple of years.”

Cagle, a senior this year, hit .469 with 19 homers and 57 RBI for Clemson last season. She was 25-8 with a 1.56 ERA in the circle, striking out 188 in 193 innings pitched. Clemson was 49-12 overall.

Lexie was SV’s designated hitter when she wasn’t pitching last year.

“It’s been a while since I’ve played first base,” she admitted. “But I embrace the challenge. I know what they’ll be expecting of me once I get to college and I’m motivated by that.

“I’ve always been a self-motivated person. Class 6A high school softball is very competitive and I play competitive ball in the summer, which helps me, but it’s up to me to prepare myself to succeed at the next level.”

And succeed is what she plans to do.

“I’ve dreamed for a long time of going to Oklahoma, pitching in the College World Series,” Lexie said. “With this Clemson program, I can get there. I want to become an All-American down the road and I understand this will all take a lot of work.

“I’ve watched the Clemson team practice. The coaches are very developmental. They will work with me at first base and I’m going to work like crazy to get that position down.”

Marlesse Hames is happy the recruiting process — as quick as it was — is over.

“That was a whirlwind and it’s a huge weight off Lexie’s shoulders,” her mother said. “Now she knows where she’s going. She can relax and enjoy these next two seasons while working to be the player she’ll need to be to succeed once she gets there.”