Season Review: Softball posts 10th straight winning season in 2023
By Wes Mayberry
ADA — The Ohio Northern softball team finished 19-17 in 2023, posting its 10th consecutive winning season under seventh-year head coach Jackie Price.
Coming off back-to-back Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament championships in 2021 and 2022, the Polar Bears finished with a 9-9 league record in 2023 to tie for fifth place in the standings and clinch their 17th straight upper-half finish in the OAC.
"We were a little disappointed with how the season turned out," Price said. "Unfortunately, we didn't finish as strong as we normally do, so it was sad to see the season end so soon."
Northern opened its 2023 season by going 6-4 during its spring break trip in Florida and later shot up to lead the OAC standings with a 9-3 conference record. The Polar Bears put together a 9-1 stretch from April 7-19 that included a seven-game win streak before dropping their final six games of the season to fall out of OAC Tournament contention.
That run of success in April was highlighted by four shutouts in five games against Wilmington, John Carroll and Otterbein.
Sophomore Ashley Lenser (Brookville) pitched three of those shutouts, marking the first time in 36 years that an ONU pitcher had thrown three consecutive shutouts. Michelle Stillings pitched a school-record four straight shutouts in 1987. In those three games, Lenser combined to allow just 10 hits and three walks while collecting 14 strikeouts.
The other shutout in that stretch belonged to senior Allie Bican (Solon), who gave up seven hits and no walks and struck out nine in a win over Wilmington.
Senior third baseman Sydney Motylinski (Ida, Mich.) later reached a career milestone, becoming the 43rd member of ONU's 100-Hit Club with four hits, including a home run and two doubles, in a doubleheader against Capital on April 26.
After the season, Lenser and Motylinski both earned All-OAC honors. Lenser was named to the First Team for the second straight year, and Motylinski earned Second Team recognition.
Twice named the OAC Pitcher of the Week this season, Lenser became the 21st member of ONU's 100-Strikeout Club against Marietta on April 2. She closed the year with a record of 10-8 with one save in 20 appearances, including 18 starts and 17 complete games. In 124.1 innings, she ranked fourth in the OAC with a 2.14 ERA and added 60 strikeouts. She also contributed offensively, batting .245 with 13 hits, including a double and home run, and seven RBIs on the year.
An NFCA Second Team All-Region VII selection in 2022, Lenser is a four-time OAC Pitcher of the Week with two career no-hitters. In two years at ONU, she boasts a 22-12 record with a 1.82 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 38 appearances, including 33 starts, spanning 234.2 innings. She ranks 12th all-time at ONU in career strikeouts.
"Ashley battled through some adversity this season and still finished out on top," Price said. "She has done a great job for us the last two seasons, and we are grateful to have her for two more."
Now a three-time All-OAC selection after being named to the First Team in 2022 and Second Team in 2021, Motylinski finished the season with a .296 batting average, 29 hits, five doubles, five home runs, 13 RBIs and 23 runs scored. She led the team in home runs, tied for the team lead in runs and ranked third in batting average.
A career .314 hitter, Motylinski has 105 hits, 18 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs and 76 runs in 111 games in her four years at ONU. She is tied for fifth all-time at ONU in home runs.
"Syd started off a little cold but then started to heat up offensively at the end of the year," Price said. "Defensively, Sydney is solid at third and makes plays that are extremely hard look quite easy. We are excited to see what Syd will do in her fifth year."
Other key contributors for ONU this season included Bican, fifth-year senior Abby Elliott (Loveland/Ursuline), seniors Annika Murray (Hilliard/Bradley) and Lauren Walls (Grove City), junior Kaylie Griffin (Grafton/Elyria Catholic), sophomores Callie Rosser (Republic/Monroeville) and Taylor Hilty (Kettering/Fairmont) and freshman Allie Wilson (Wapakoneta).
Bican was named OAC Pitcher of the Week on April 17 and closed the season with a 9-9 record, 3.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 18 starts, including 13 complete games, spanning 116.1 innings. Her 101 strikeouts ranked fifth in the OAC and ninth all-time at ONU for a single season. In four years at ONU, Bican has appeared in 52 games, including 42 starts and 29 complete games. She is 21-19 overall with one save to go with a 2.99 ERA in 288.1 innings and ranks fourth all-time at ONU with 260 strikeouts.
"Allie stepped up for us again this season on the mound and did a great job. She also stepped up offensively, which allowed us to give her more opportunities at the plate," Price said. "We are sad to see Allie leave but are grateful for all she did for our program."
Elliott tied for the team lead with 15 RBIs this season and finished second on the team in batting average (.317) and hits (32) while adding 19 runs and two home runs and posting a .969 fielding percentage in the outfield over 34 games. In five seasons at ONU, Elliott has amassed 150 hits, 24 doubles, six triples, five home runs, 73 RBIs and 93 runs while batting .309 in 159 games. She ranks 14th all-time at ONU in career hits.
"Abby came in with as much experience as you could ask for," Price said. "She has had a phenomenal career for us leading on and off the field and has been such an asset to our program. I was so happy to have her back for a fifth year."
Rosser was the Polar Bears' primary designated player in 2023 and led the team in batting average (.320), hits (39) and steals (5) and tied for the team lead in RBIs (15) and runs (23) while adding six doubles and one home run in 34 games. In 51 career games, she has 47 hits, six doubles, one home run, 20 RBIs and 26 runs while batting .309.
"Callie stepped up huge for us to fill the leadoff role this season. She started off strong and hot and did a great job owning that position for us," Price said. "We are excited for her future with us and to see what she will bring next season."
A First Team All-OAC and NFCA All-Region Second Team pick a year ago, Griffin hit a team-best seven doubles in 2023 while batting .280 with 30 hits, two home runs, 11 RBIs and 14 runs in 34 games, primarily at catcher. Griffin has played in 76 games in her three-year ONU career, batting .336 with 76 hits, 15 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 38 RBIs and 48 runs.
Walls, an outfielder, ranked second on the team with three home runs in 2023 while batting .262 with 28 hits, three doubles, 13 RBIs and 13 runs in 34 games. In 83 games over four seasons at ONU, she is a career .232 hitter with 44 hits, four doubles, one triple, four home runs, 27 RBIs and 31 runs.
Murray batted .250 in 2023, tallying 20 hits, four doubles, two triples and 10 RBIs in 31 games, primarily at shortstop. She is a career .248 hitter with 69 hits, 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 49 runs over 110 games.
Hilty played in 34 games in 2023 and posted a .217 batting average with 15 hits, one home run, four RBIs and nine runs while serving as the team's primary second baseman. In 55 career games at ONU, she has batted .222 with 26 hits, one double, one home run, 12 RBIs and 12 runs.
In her first season, Wilson served as the Polar Bears' primary first baseman and batted .241 with 20 hits, five doubles, one triple, two home runs, 13 RBIs and 14 runs in 31 games.
The Polar Bears were also recognized for their efforts off the field this season, earning four College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and four Academic All-OAC accolades. Elliott, Murray, Rosser and Hilty earned CSC Academic All-District recognition. Murray, Rosser, Hilty and sophomore Bella Spano (Vienna/Mathews) were Academic All-OAC selections.
Now into their offseason, the Polar Bears will look to continue their winning ways in 2024.
"I think our players, being disappointed in how we finished this season, are going to come back with a vengeance for next season," Price said. "I am excited to get to work in the fall so we can get back to where we were. I think we have the talent and will be able to have a more successful season next year."