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08/01/2019 12:00 AMSoftball has been a big part of Lexi Falcigno’s life for about as long as she can remember. Lexi grew up watching her older sister Brittany compete for a number of teams. Wanting to be like her sister and encouraged by her father Rob, Lexi decided to follow in Brittany’s footsteps. Lexi’s path took her to the softball squad at Branford High School, where she recently completed a four-year varsity career by earning All-Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) honors.
“My sister was the main reason I wanted to play. I remember when I was little, I’d get up as early as she would to travel to her games so I could watch,” says Lexi. “My dad helped me when I wanted to try it and brought me to tryouts.”
When Lexi was eight years old, she and her dad traveled to Cromwell so Lexi could try out for the CT Eliminators travel team, which was the last program that her sister played for. Lexi made the team, and she’s been competing with the Eliminators ever since.
“They were known to be a good travel ball team,” Lexi says. “That was where it all started, and I’m still playing with them. It’s been great.”
As a member of the Eliminators, Lexi travels to tournaments and softball showcases throughout the year. In the winter, the team trains and play in tournaments at Fast Pitch Nation, an indoor facility in East Hartford. During the summer, they travel to New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to compete in tournaments.
When Lexi was entering high school, her family moved from Milford to Branford. Lexi’s dad suggested that she joined the Branford softball team in order to meet people in her new school.
“I started conditioning with the team in the winter, and it was a great way to meet new friends, and that’s where I started to fit in,” says Lexi. “I found girls who loved the sport as much as I did.”
Lexi not only made the team as a freshman, she earned the starting position at third base for the Hornets. Initially, Lexi felt a little intimidated by playing with the older players, but she quickly adjusted. Lexi had many highlights throughout her four years at Branford, although some of her most notable moments with the team took place away from the field.
“After games we’d go back to one of the girl’s houses and have team dinners, which were just us laughing and having fun,” Lexi says. “In school, everyone was always saying hi to each other. They’re people you could always go to. It’s like you have another built-in family.”
At the end of her junior year, Lexi accomplished one of her goals when she was elected as one of Branford’s captains for the 2019 campaign. Lexi credits fellow captain Jess Shanley, who also was a captain in the 2018 season, for teaching her about how to be a leader.
“Jess taught me a lot about relaying messages to the girls and leading the team,” says Lexi. “It’s like you’re a little mini coach, and I feel like the girls listen to me, and I’m able to make better connections. I enjoyed being a good leader and example to the team.”
Lexi’s leadership was especially important for the Hornets when they welcomed a new head coach this season. First-year coach Tori Ramada saw Lexi’s attributes firsthand as she took the helm at Branford.
“I was really looking to bring a new atmosphere to team, and Lexi really stepped up her leadership this year,” Ramada says. “She worked hard in all of the places we needed her to and played where we needed her. She pitched, played outfield, and was always a team player who had an amazing bat and always helped us on offense. If we need to score a run and start a rally, she was the one we could count on. She always made people laugh and made the best of every situation.”
After garnering All-State accolades in her junior year, Lexi made the All-SCC Second Team as a senior this spring. While her high school career is finished, Lexi is still in the midst of her summer season with the Eliminators and hopes to continue playing for them on a 23-U team down the road.
Lexi’s efforts with the Eliminators helped her land an offer to play softball in college. Lexi had reached out to several schools that she was interested in, including Johnson & Wales University, a Division III school in Providence, Rhode Island. The Wildcats’ coach attended one of Lexi’s showcases and, last winter, Lexi was offered a spot on the squad.
Lexi plans on studying criminal justice at Johnson & Wales. She will begin conditioning and training with the softball team during the winter, before beginning her college softball career in the spring of 2020.
“I just want to be better my knowledge and playing skills and see what I can learn from girls who have been there and the coach,” says Lexi. “Softball is a great escape from regular life and a place where you can be you.”