The Lexington softball team has five returning starters and 11 letter winners coming back this season, and while Coach Todd Galownia knows the Ohio Cardinal Conference will be a battle, his team has a goal to take the title this spring.
Galownia is in his fifth year as a coach, and has had a record of 60-36 along the way. While the team was only 10-15 and 6-8 in the Ohio Cardinal Conference, it was not long ago that they made a deep run into the Division II state tournament.
“We still have some big contributors from our Elite 8 team a couple of years ago,” Galownia said.
Kaylie Eichorn has started at shortstop the past three years, and she has earned both OCC and district honorable mention nods. Last year she was a force at the plate hitting .471.
Jillian Morr will be behind the plate and the senior I coming off a season where he batted .617, and was named first team All-OCC, first team Northwest District and second team All-Ohio.
Kylie Galownia is at third base and in the circle where she has earned both district and OCC honors. She was second team All-OCC and second team Northwest District. Last year she batted .573 as one of the team’s top hitters, and should shine even brighter in her senior year.
Kylie Thornton was OCC honorable mention last year, and is back playing first base. She batted .342 in her freshman season
Junior Makaree Chapman will pitch and play left field, while also getting some time at first base.
“There will also be a group battling to round out this talented lineup,” Galownia said.
Galownia knows that the OCC will be a tough league, and it often has teams that have made strong tournament pushes. The team has a goal of competing for the OCC title and making another run in the tournament. He said they need to continue to gel as a team, and learn where the new players fit best in the puzzle. The less experienced players also need to be ready for the big time games.
Galownia said the team has a great mix of veteran leadership and younger athletes. This year’s squad has a focus of playing fast and minimizing mistakes to put pressure on opposing teams.
“This will continue to keep us competitive and gain both confidence and experience as the year progresses,” Galownia said.
If the recent scrimmage against Clear Fork is any indication of how this season will fare for the Lexington softball team, it should be an exciting year on the diamond.The Minutemen had a nine run first inning and never looked back in a 15-6 win over the Colts.
Freshman Quinn Patrick went deep and had three RBIs and two runs scored. Thornton was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a pair od runs scored. Morr had a 2-for-4 day with a double and two RBIs, and sophomore Camryn McGuire was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Lexington will play the Colts again, opening up the regular season at home on March 28 with a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. They will then host a double-header against Galion on March 30 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Softball Roster 2024
#00 Kaylee Stull
#1 Quinn Patrick
#3 Emily Asher
#4 Camryn McGuire
#5 Makaree Chapman
#7 Jillian Morr
#10 Rylie McGuire
#11 Savannah Lutz
#12 Madyson Taylor
#13 Kylie Galownia
#15 Kaylie Eichorn
#16 Kyra Boyd
#17 Kylie Thornton
#22 Addison Cyrus
#24 Lauren Risser
Schedule:
3/28 vs. Clear Fork, 5:30 p.m.
3/30 vs. Galion, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
4/1 at Clyde, 5 p.m.
4/2 Madison Comprehensive, 5 p.m.
4/3 at Madison Comprehensive, 5 p.m.
4/5 at Mount Vernon, 5 p.m.
4/9 vs. Wooster, 5 p.m.
4/10 at Wooster, 5 p.m.
4/15 at Shelby, 5 p.m.
4/16 at Ashland, 5 p.m.
4/17 vs. Ashland, 5 p.m.
4/20 at Bellevue, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
4/22 at Ontario, 5 p.m.
4/25 vs. Norwalk, 5 p.m.
4/26 vs. Marion Harding, 5 p.m.
4/27 vs. Perkins, 1 p.m.
4/29 vs. River Valley, 5 p.m.
4/30 vs. New Philadelphia, 5 p.m.
5/1 at New Philadelphia, 5 p.m.
5/3 vs. Mount Vernon, 5 p.m.
5/7 at West Holmes, 5 p.m.
5/8 vs. West Holmes, 5 p.m.
