Lexington Lady Lex crowned 2024 Richland County Softball Power Poll champions
MANSFIELD — And there you have it.
The 2024 Richland County Softball Power Poll champion has officially been crowned after a week of delay thanks to a pretty big regular-season game needing to be played. Let's find out which team took home the title and where everyone else ended up in the final poll of the season.
OCC! OCC! OCC! Lexington wins first outright Ohio Cardinal Conference softball title in 19 years
9. Plymouth (2-20)
The Big Red suffered through a tough season filled with bad breaks. After their pitcher tore her ACL before the season, the Big Red were behind the 8-ball from the beginning but powered through and won games over St. Paul and Mansfield Christian. Jaylin Branham had a great year hitting .486 with 28 hits, six doubles, three triples, two home runs 15 RBIs and 22 runs scored. She is going to be missed next season.
8. Mansfield Christian (8-10)
The Flames had one of the best seasons in recent memory in the program. Noel Cline spearheaded a season that finished just two games below .500 and saw the Flames be more competitive on a nightly basis. With a nice group of freshmen and some talented underclassmen, the Flames should be a in great shape moving forward.
7. Lucas (9-10)
The Cubs finished the year just one game under .500 and were the lone Richland County representative in the Division IV district tournament. A team that came in with some question marks, the Cubs answered them all and then some with a sectional championship and impressive wins over Plymouth, Buckeye Central, Crestline, Mansfield Christian twice, Central Christian twice, Colonel Crawford and St. Paul. It was a season to build on.
6. Ontario (12-13)
The Warriors made a nice run at a .500 record in the closing weeks of the season winning four in a row before exiting the tournament. A year after winning a district title and seeing a historic group of seniors graduate, the Warriors battled through and up-and-down season and came out of it better because of it. They should be considered one of the top teams coming into next season.
5. Crestview (17-8)
The Cougars saw a bit of a disappointing ending to the season with a sectional final loss and a loss to Mapleton in the final regular-season game to prevent them from winning a piece of the Firelands Conference title. The ending should ignite a fire heading into next year when the Cougars return all but one player. Historic Sophie Durbin departs the program, which will be a major loss, but everyone else is back including home run-hitting PJ Endicott and starting pitcher Chesnie Patton. Watch out for the Cougs next year.
T3. Shelby (19-7)
It had to be considered one of the most successful years in Shelby softball history. Winning a piece of their first league championship since 2011, the Whippets proved they are officially back and the program should be respected. Mallary Gundrum had maybe the best offensive year of anyone in Richland County hitting .549 with 50 hits, 10 doubles, five triples, seven home runs, 50 RBIs and 34 runs scored. But it is her leadership that will be felt by the underclassmen for years to come as the Whippets try to keep things rolling next season.
T3. Clear Fork (17-8)
The Colts exceeded everyone’s expectations, and maybe even their own, after going 17-8, shared the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship and took home a district runner-up trophy all while starting five freshmen. Right out of the gate, the Colts were on fire going 9-4 with losses to Triway, Lexington twice and Madison once, all 20-win teams. The Colts do lose some great seniors, but they return those five freshmen along with third baseman Mel Blubaugh who hit .512 with 43 hits, 10 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 25 RBIs and 44 runs scored. Having her back next season to help continue the progression of the young team will be huge.
2. Madison (20-7)
The Rams surpassed any and all expectations coming into this season after losing three of the best players the program has ever seen and yet they go out and win 20 games, finish as the Division I district runners-up and third in the Ohio Cardinal Conference. Kyleigh Reiter was a major reason for that success as she hit .460 with 40 hits, 14 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 34 RBIs and 31 runs scored with 15 walks for one of (if not) the best individual seasons in the Ohio Cardinal Conference. Madison continues to produce successful team after successful team and that should still be the case next year with plenty of young talent coming up and the return of four of their top six hitters from this season.
1. Lexington (27-2)
And then, there was Lady Lex. They put up arguably the best season in program history winning 27 games, clinching the first Ohio Cardinal Conference championship since 2009 and first outright title since 2005 and winning a Division II district championship for the second time in three years. Go ahead and add a Richland County Softball Power Poll title to that list.
Lex had four everyday players hit .429 or better as Kylie Galownia hit .521 with 49 hits, nine doubles, a triple, 25 RBIs and 39 runs scored. Jillian Morr hit .490 with 48 hits, 10 doubles, three home runs, 18 RBIs and 44 runs scored. Makaree Chapman hit .489 with 44 hits, 11 doubles, four triples, a home run, 34 RBIs and 33 runs scored and Kaylie Eichorn hit .429 with 36 hits, 12 doubles, a home run, 38 RBIs and 32 runs scored.
As a team, Lex scored 249 runs and hit .374 as a team. And Lexington is still playing as it prepares for the Division II regional tournament this week at Shelby starting on Wednesday.
Last Week’s Rankings
9. Plymouth (2-17)
8. Ontario (9-12)
7. Mansfield Christian (8-8)
6. Lucas (8-8)
5. Crestview (15-6)
T3. Shelby (16-6)
T3. Clear Fork (14-6)
2. Madison (16-5)
Lexington (21-2)
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Lexington takes Richland County Softball Power Poll title
