Lady Lex seniors focused on winning now, lasting legacy later ahead of regional showdown
LEXINGTON — The late, great Bill Russell said it best, “Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.”
So when Lexington senior's Jillian Morr, Kaylie Eichorn, Kylie Galownia and Emily Asher are asked to think about the kind of legacy they have left on the Lady Lex softball program, the furthest thing from their minds is what they have accomplished in the big picture. Instead, they are laser focused on the next task at hand. On Monday, they were focused on closing out the first outright Ohio Cardinal Conference championship since 2005 with a win over Madison. After that was secured, they were concentrating on what to do at practice on Tuesday to get prepared for Akron Springfield in the Division II regional semifinals on Wednesday.
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On Wednesday, all of that focus will be on advancing to their second regional championship game in the last three years. And so on and so on.
But how could they not think about the lasting legacy they are leaving on the program?
"Right now, I am not thinking about it," Morr said. "I will later on but I am just living in the moment and cherishing every minute of it."
Morr, Eichorn and Galownia are four-year starters who have led Lady Lex to a 79-28 record in four season with three 20-win campaigns including this year's 27-2 record, which is believed to be a program record for wins in a season, but is far from confirmed.
They have helped Lex win two district championships and the 2024 league title.
Most of all, they have led a turnaround within a program that had struggled for years to put a quality product on the field on a consistent basis.
"I hope it really changed the perception of the program," Eichorn said. "When I was growing up, Lexington softball was down and it was an easy win for other teams. I hope that we have changed that and people look at Lexington softball in the same light as basketball and football. I hope the younger players carry this on."
The numbers behind the impact
Morr, Eichorn and Galownia will go down as three of the best offensive players to every put on a Lady Lex uniform while Asher will forever be known as an unselfish teammate who put the team ahead of herself at every opportunity she could.
Just look at these career numbers:
Jillian Morr: 162 hits, 30 doubles, six triples, eight home runs, 77 RBIs, 156 runs scored.
Kaylie Eichorn: 152 hits, 42 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 119 RBIs, 102 runs scored.
Kylie Galownia: 159 hits, 24 doubles, five triples, one home run, 95 RBIs, 92 runs scored.
The trio averaged more than 38 hits per year over four years, nearly 20 RBIs apiece and more than 23 runs scored per season. Morr's best season was her sophomore year when she hit .617 with 50 hits, 11 doubles, two triples, two homers, 15 RBIs and 45 runs scored. For Eichorn, it was as a freshman when she hit .473 with 35 hits, eight dounes, a home run, 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored but she has never hit below .429 in a season so she has been consistent since she stepped on the diamond. For Galownia, she saved her best for last hitting .521 with 49 hits, nine doubles, a triple, 25 RBIs and 39 runs scored this season.
"I think less about the stats and how many hits we have and more about the timely stuff," Eichorn said. "I think about the hits we get when people are on or the plays we make defensively in key situations. Those are the things that mean more."
Asher has had a different road, but one that is just as meaningful. She has two RBIs and two runs scored this season and has scored nine times in her career, yet, she is a defensive specialist playing right field, one of the most underrated positions in softball, and thrives in that role. More importantly, she accepts it and puts the team's success above her own personal glory.
"I know that my batting isn't my strong point, but my team needs me to play defense and be that kind of leader," Asher said.
It's the leadership that counts
Asher has shown the kind of leadership that has Lady Lex inching closer and closer to a rare 30-win season. Self sacrifice always has to be the cornerstone of a championship team.
"We wanted to change the attitude within the program because that is what makes it stronger," Asher said. "We hand out constantly and are always with each other every night. We have built something sustainable for this team and I hope it carries on."
Leading by example is also a must-have and that is what the four seniors have done since Day 1. Whether it be a Sunday afternoon cage session or an offseason open field to take groundballs for an hour, they were always there.
"I hope they remember us as great leader who showed up to everything and always helped out teammates with anything they needed," Morr said. "We always host team hangouts and give rides to and from practice so I want them to remember that."
For Eichorn, it was all about changing the way the players within the program approached opportunities to get better.
"It all starts with just showing up," Eichorn said. "Coach always shares stories about kids coming to practice in shorts and tennis shoes and not ready to work. Our senior group brought a professionalism to the program where you show up every day ready to work. It is not just walking through practice. You have to get something out of every opportunity."
But the leadership role didn't come easy for the Lexington seniors. After enjoying a 20-6 season as freshmen and a 22-5 year as sophomores, Lex went an uncharacteristic 10-15 last year when they were juniors, about the time they were supposed to be taking on the leadership role.
"Last year, we were all juniors who didn't want to overstep our seniors," Galownia said. "This year, we are the seniors so we picked it up a notch leading open fields and hitting in the cage. We lead by example instead of yelling at everyone. We show them footwork, we help in the cage and they respect us because we have been successful."
Now that they are in the key leadership roles, Lex is flourishing with 27 wins and a trip to the regional tournament straight ahead. Morr credits the senior group of 2022 when Lex won its first district title in 11 years.
"We kind of lacked leadership our freshman year and then our sophomore years, we had some great ones that taught us how to become one over time," Morr said. "We learned a lot from them. Last year, we had to step up in a leadership role and that helped transition us into this year."
Lex seniors leaving a lasting impact
The season isn't over and yet, the Lexington seniors are leaving a mark that will not soon leave the program. With a win on Wednesday, it would give them 80 victories for their careers, something that isn't likely to have happened in the history of Lexington softball. With the first league title in 15 years and the first outright title in 19, it could be the start of something very special within Lexington softball.
"I think of it, of course," Galownia said. "We have a very special class. Before we got here, there were four-win seasons and there wasn't much excitement around the program. I hope we have left our mark on the school, but that is something we will think about more when it is all said and done."
Eichorn agrees.
"They know how it feels to win so I hope it sticks with them," Eichorn said. "Winning the first league championship since 2009 is really cool and I think it is something to pass down to the younger girls. They need to know that being a leader is a big deal because next year, it won't be us, it will be them."
But for now, Lady Lex is focused on the next task.
"We always try to live in the moment and then 10 years down the road, that is when we can think about what we accomplished as a team," Asher said. "I think we will look back and believe that we really changed the direction of the program."
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Lady Lex seniors focused on winning now, lasting legacy later
