When pitchers throw a no-hitter, people flock to them and ask them what it’s like to accomplish such a feat.
Erin Gabriel has thrown a no-hitter this year. Everyone knows her side of the story and what an honor it was to pitch the no-no.
In every no-hitter, there is a second figure to the equation; a person without whom this feat wouldn’t be possible: the catcher. The catcher on that night was Lexi Overstreet.
Overstreet comes from a family of athletes. Her mother, father, older brothers and sister all played multiple sports throughout their high school years. Lexi herself has played basketball, soccer, swimming, tennis, cheerleading and softball.
“Growing up, I watched (my siblings) play sports, and I wanted to be just like them,” Overstreet said. “I had my mom throughout my life, (and she) was really driven for me towards softball and really was there for me.”
Success is something Overstreet has enjoyed throughout her high school years. Her team, the Buford, Georgia, Wolves, won a state championship in all four years of Overstreet’s high school career. The junior also received all-country honors all four years, and, in 2012, was named the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s 2012 Player of the Year.
Her high school career came to a close in the summer of 2012, and Overstreet had a choice to make. Softball scouts flocked to her, and she narrowed down her options. Although Georgia seemed like a good fit, Overstreet fell in love with the family-friendly atmosphere the University of Tennessee offered.
“I really loved Tennessee when I came here,” Overstreet said. “They were family-based, Ralph and Karen (Weekly) are married, and I’m a big family person. I really liked that aspect of Tennessee.”
Her choice was clear, so she followed it. In February of 2013, Overstreet had her first at-bat as a University of Tennessee Lady Vol. It wasn’t until May 4 against Missouri that Overstreet hit her first collegiate home run.
From then to now, Overstreet has always been a jack-of-all-trades on the softball diamond. She has played nearly every position while she’s been at UT, but even she will admit she has a favorite.
“I’ve actually caught the most my whole life,” Overstreet said. “What makes catching fun is that you get to be a part of not just one position, but you’ve got someone pitching to you, and you’re helping them not allow the other team to win. You’re always involved … Catching is always my favorite.”
A fan of Overstreet’s catcher capabilities is co-head coach Karen Weekly.
“Lexi’s a great catcher, and sometimes that gets overlooked by all the publicity that Annie Aldrete gets,” Weekly said. “Lexi’s a phenomenal defensive catcher. With the injury that Annie had at the end of last season, we need to have that second catcher … We love putting Lexi behind the plate.”
Most athletes have some sort of pregame ritual they participate in to help them over the course of the game. For Overstreet, that’s putting a bow in her hair before every game.
“I like to wear a bow to match my uniform,” Overstreet said. “I’ve tried to grow my hair out long so I can have bigger bows and longer bows. I’ve gotta have a bow in my hair and make sure my hair looks good.”
Overstreet has been the main factor in some of the best moments of the team’s year. Along with catching Gabriel’s no-hitter, she recorded her first collegiate grand slam and blasted a walk-off home run against Georgia on March 28.
“It felt really good to come out there and win. When the hit the ball, I felt really good … When I hit it, I knew it was gone,” Overstreet said. “Through our whole lineup, one swing could change a game.
“That’s why I think we are such a good team. Everybody in the lineup can hit a home run, and I don’t think many SEC teams can say that through their whole lineup.”
