Family Affair: Pattersons fueling comeback season for Addison softball
ADRIAN –– Lexi Patterson, Laci Mae Patterson and Isabelle Patterson know it hasn’t been the easiest road for Addison softball.
One of the weaker programs in the county over the last few years, the Panthers have struggled to find success in a string of single-digit win seasons since 2016. A long run of weak batting, poor pitching and rough defens.
“You don’t wanna see them,” Laci said about Addison’s previous records with a laugh. “They’re probably non-existent.”
It’s something they admitted to wanting to change and, this season, the three family members have made a remarkable push to do so. Addison (13-15) is sitting on one of its best seasons in years and while the credit can go to any number of players, Lexi, Laci and Isabelle have more than earned their flowers for assisting the comeback.
And they’re confident it can only keep going up from here.
“We’re like the standing point for it all now,” Lexi said. “From here on out, it’s going to be better, I think.”
As twins, Lexi and Laci provide potent hitting presences in a Panthers lineup that’s proved to be one of the toughest in recent memory. Isabelle hits cleanup and serves as the team’s number one starter in the circle, calling her own pitches and benefitting from the long term chemistry she’s developed with Lexi catching.
The individual successes help tell the story: Laci hit for the cycle against Michigan Center on April 15. With over 100 punchouts on the season, Isabelle is locked in a battle with Blissfield’s Karis Weirich for the county strikeouts title and maintains one of the highest batting averages in the area.
Justin Patterson, Isabelle’s father and Laci and Lexi’s uncle, coached the three through Maulers Girl’s Fastpitch and has worked with Kelly Gahn as the co-head coach of the Panthers over the last four years. He noted the girls are fourth-generation softball players, with roots dating back to their grandpa taking a keen interest in what they consider to be the “family sport.”
A firsthand witness, Justin said the competitive nature from the three Pattersons fueling Addison’s comeback season goes back a long way.
“They’ve been competitive ever since they were going through,” he said. “Even if we’re not on the field, they’re at my house playing the Wii or something. Whatever they do, they compete.”
While initially hesitant to embrace it, Lexi and Laci admitted to competing with each other over batting averages and home run counts. None of the three, however, were reluctant to name the most vocal Patterson in the dugout.
“Definitely Laci yells the most,” Lexi said. “She has the most attitude. We try to calm her down.”
“It’s not always good yelling either,” Isabelle said.
Laci simply laughed.
While he said he’s proud of what the girls have done this season, Justin made sure to note Addison’s resurgence has been a true team effort with the credit not falling squarely on anybody’s shoulders.
“The whole team, they’ve built this,” he said. “This is why Addison’s come back. With the pitching and the extra (work) that they’ve done with the lessons and everything, that’s what’s building this back.”
Like many at this point, Addison and the Pattersons are locked in on winning districts in the coming weeks. A run there would cement a comeback that started with small conversations between the twins and cousins.
“Districts is our biggest goal,” Justin said. “As a team, that's our number one priority right now. We’re not looking past anybody. Last year, we looked past Concord. We’re focused 100%.”
It hasn’t been the easiest road. But for the Pattersons, family’s made it all that much better.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lexi, Laci and Isabelle Patterson have played big roles for Addison
