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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

She was a player who could always bring a smile to Tim Child’s face.

For years, Child coached Lexi Webb in softball, and while warmly talking about her on Saturday afternoon at Shuford Fields, he said “she was definitely a favorite.”

Sadly, Webb lost her life to suicide in February of 2019, and for the past two years Child has organized a tournament in her honor.

This year’s tournament was held on Saturday at Shuford Fields, with money raised going to a scholarship in Webb’s honor.

Child, the founder of the Easton College Prep Softball Program of which Webb was a participant, said on Saturday that “today is about celebrating what she meant to softball, and how she represented herself, and we want to keep that going, and preach that message.”

During a break in the action, all of the players and coaches gathered on one of the fields for a ceremony to celebrate Webb’s life.

Among the participants in the ceremony was Lexi’s sister, Abi Webb, and her grandmother, Kathy Webb.

At the close of the ceremony, following a five-second moment of silence in recognition of Lexi’s number five jersey, red balloons were released, and they soared into the clear skies above the Shuford Fields complex.

“We’re going to send out love to Lexi,” Child said.

Webb was a standout softball player at Smiths Station, and she was in the midst of her senior year and preparing to play softball at the University of West Georgia when she died.

Child encouraged all of the players present on Saturday to have someone in their lives to talk to, to find someone who can listen and help them through difficult times rather than trying to make it alone.

“Find somebody, a coach, a pastor, find somebody to talk to,” Child said. “Go ahead and identify somebody now. You have plenty of people who will do anything for you.”

One of the teams in the tournament was made up of players were teammates of Lexi Webb’s.

Another one of the participants, the Longhorns, was composed of players from LaGrange, while the Coweta Select team featured a number of players with local ties, including four seniors on the LaGrange High softball team.

Child appreciated all of the teams who made it a successful day.

“We have a lot of people here that played with her, a great alumni group that played with her and has come out to support her,” Child said. “I can’t thank you enough for everybody’s support today. I’m glad we were able to do it. I’ve got a lot of friends here that always support us and I see at other tournaments.”

In a few weeks, Child said the Lexi Webb scholarship will be presented to a player in the Easton program.

“We’ll give away a scholarship to one of our seniors that most represented her,” Child said.

OF NOTE: For more photos from the tournament, go to www.Facebook.com/LDNSports