By Tim Clinton

SPORTS EDITOR

Kennedy Catholic graduate Xe'Ree Alexander is known for his efforts at linebacker for the University of Washington football team.

He is now gearing up for his senior season with the Huskies, who will hit the practice field in earnest shortly.

But Alexander tried his hand at a different sport Saturday, playing in the charitable Seattle All-Star Classic celebrity softball game played at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, the home of the city's Class AAA Pacific Coast League baseball team since 1960.

The fences for softball were set up much closer to home plate than the stadium's baseball fences, however, with only one ball clearing the baseball fence all night.

That came off the bat of one of Alexander's opponents for the game, professional softball player Blake Lively, who also won the Home Run Derby prior to the game with 25 homers in the first round and 22 in the finals.

Alexander did not participate in that or hit any home runs during the game, but his efforts helped the We Did Not Care team to an 18-17 win over Team Darkside.

Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Casey Sadler walked the game off with a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Alexander saw playing time at third base in the game that included past and present UW and Seattle Seahawks football players as well as Mariners representatives and a number of different other celebrities like Seattle Sounders soccer players and television and radio and other personalities.