She was noted by an All-American Girls Professional Baseball League scout while playing in a state tournament and received an invitation to the 1948 spring training, which was held in Opa-locka, Florida.

[1][2] Olinger was assigned to the Grand Rapids Chicks during the training camp, but she started the year with the expansion Chicago Colleens.

She returned to the Chicks during the midseason in time to help them to advance to the second round of the playoffs, which was won by the Fort Wayne Daisies, three to zero games.

[3] While at Grand Rapids, Olinger and Alma Ziegler developed a nice chemistry as a double play combination around second base, helping the Chicks reach the playoffs during six consecutive seasons, including the Championship Title in 1953.

[3][4] As a hitter, Olinger steadily improved in each season, collecting a career-high .267 batting average in 1951.