ELYRIA — When Ashlee Stolarski slid home in a cloud of Summit County dust on June 6, she ignited what became arguably the most significant offensive outburst in the history of Elyria High sports.

It was the first run in the Pioneers’ 10-1 rout of Hudson in the Division I softball state final and the first by the Pioneers after 28 consecutive scoreless innings in state championship games dating to 2002.

The victory also ended three straight years of frustration and disappointment for the Pioneers, who had lost the previous three state finals, including a 4-0 loss to Hudson in 2006. And it made the softball team the first in school history to deliver two state championships in any sport.

Stolarski, who had two hits and made two memorable defensive plays in the state final, was back in the spotlight Monday morning at the school. In the company of her parents — Jim and Karen Stolarski — coach Ken Fenik and athletic director Jerry Chizmar, she signed a national letter of intent to continue her softball career at Cleveland State.

“Ashlee and I are a lot alike in that we’re both very intense,” Fenik said. “Ashlee and I have had our moments. I’d like to think we’ve grown from those moments. She’s just been tremendous for the program. The last three years, we couldn’t have done it without her.”

Stolarski said she decided to attend CSU after playing in a winter indoor game on the campus. Former Pioneers pitcher Megan Bashak, who’s now playing at CSU, suggested that Stolarski visit the campus.

“When I went to visit, they offered me a half-academic and half-athletic scholarship,” said Stolarski, who is also a top student.

It will be like a reunion for Stolarski when she walks onto the Cleveland State campus next summer. She will be the fifth player on the Vikings roster with an Elyria connection. The others are Bashak — a sophomore — Tess Sito — the winning pitcher in the June 6 state final — junior utility player Andrea Nagy and Jessica Burt, who played her freshman season at Elyria, but finished her high-school career at Keystone.

In addition, Vikings head coach Angie (McCall) Nicholson, was a starting catcher for the Pioneers, before moving on to CSU where she had a distinguished career.

“Tess, Megan and Nagy are all like family to me,” Stolarski said. “I grew up playing with them and I’ll get to see them and play with them again.”

She said she has not yet focused on an academic major.

“If I were to major in something, I’d be looking at something like photography or the forensic sciences,” she said. “With forensic sciences, you could get a job doing so many things. So, I’d really like to do something with that.”

“We’re extremely proud of her,” said Karen Stolarski. “She’s hardcore. I’ve coached and managed her since she started. She always gave her all. She’s fluid with everything she does, so she’s very good.”

“She’s worked hard and she’s had good coaching all along the line,” Jim Stolarski said. “It’s paid off and we’re very proud of what she’s done.”

Ashlee Stolarski batted .275 last spring, with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 22 RBIs. The run she scored in the championship game was her 19th of the season. She acknowledged the 2010 Pioneers have a tough act to follow.

“We still have a great team,” she said. “We all get along and we have really good team chemistry. We lost four really good players (Sito, Sarah Bracey, Alesha Mahone and Kristen Fyffe), but I think we’ll be able to fill their shoes.”

Incidentally, the softball team is the only to bring the school a state championship in a sport that requires the entire team to participate in order to win. The wrestling and track teams have also won state titles, but did so without using athletes at every weight class or in every event.

Contact Bob Daniels at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

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