Gonzaga Prep earns first win in nearly two seasons in extra-innings thriller | Softball notebook

When Katie Rowe took over the Gonzaga Prep slowpitch and fastpitch softball programs in the fall of 2024, she knew there was work to be done to get the Bullpups into the Greater Spokane League mix.

In those two seasons since, the slowpitch team won two games – one each season, but the wins weren’t translating to fastpitch with Prep’s last victory coming in April 2024.

That was until last Friday.

Senior Emma Allbery hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the Bullpups to their first victory in nearly two years with a 15-14 win over visiting Shadle Park.

“I think it was the mark of a new chapter for us,” Rowe said. “A lot of these girls either haven’t had a varsity win or it’s been a few years. Our coaching staff has just been reassuring them that they’ve made great progress over the past two years, telling them that we see their growth and it was amazing to finally see it pay off on the scoreboard.”

The victory over the Highlanders came just one day after Prep dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker in nine innings at Central Valley. But Rowe said stringing together close results is a testament to how far her team has come.

“We’ve really been working on mental toughness, because we know physical mistakes are going to happen to any team,” Rowe said. “How do we keep fighting, how do we keep battling? Because we know we have enough skill to put the ball in play and score runs. It’s just staying focused and not thinking we are out of any game.”

The Bullpups (1-6, 1-5 GSL) especially showed that grit in the Shadle win. Prep burst out to a 10-2 lead through two innings, before the Highlanders answered with a 10-run third inning to take the lead.

But Prep fought back with three runs in the sixth to take a one-run lead before the Highlanders forced extra innings with a run in the seventh.

Rowe credits leaders like Allbery and Nenah Ainsworth – who had four RBI in the win – in helping get the program pointed in the winning direction.

“The three pillars we have really tried to instill in the girls are attitude, coachability and effort, and those two seniors really display that every day,” Rowe said. “And then I have girls like Sophia Gum, who is a sophomore, and my whole pitching staff that have just worked so hard to be leaders on and off the field as well.”

Now the Bullpups will try to add to that win total and set the program up for future success.

“I pulled our stats from the first six games of this year and last year, and it’s just amazing how much further ahead we are from that time,” Rowe said. “Now it’s about continuing that trend through the rest of the season and beyond.”

Cheney, Lewis and Clark earn big wins: No teams have been more dominant in recent seasons than University and Mt. Spokane softball in the GSL.

But last week, Cheney and Lewis and Clark had something to say about the pecking order of the league.

Last Friday, Cheney upset visiting Mt. Spokane 5-3 while host Lewis and Clark handled University 14-4.

Annie Beito went 3 for 4 with two doubles, scoring three runs as the Blackhawks toppled the Wildcats, while Tyler Capaul went 4 for 4 with a triple, double, five RBIs to lead the Tigers over the Titans in six innings.

The Wildcats still sit atop the GSL standings with a league record of 6-1, but Mead (5-1), University (5-2), Cheney (4-2) and Lewis and Clark (4-3) are within striking distance.