Jun 4, 2025 3 min read

Name: Payton Gilbert

School: West Greene

Grade: Senior

Sport: Softball

Gilbert’s week: Gilbert had never pitched in conditions quite like the ones West Greene played in during its WPIAL Class A consolation game with Jefferson-Morgan last Tuesday at Pleasant Valley Elementary School.

You wouldn’t know it by her stat line.

Steady rain made for another obstacle while navigating a Rockets lineup for the third time this season, but she handled it well, allowing only one earned run in a 4-3 victory that clinched a state playoff berth.

She limited the Rockets to three hits and picked up her 100th strikeout of the season.

“I had to bat one time my freshman year in a hailstorm, so that wasn’t great, but never pitched in that bad of weather before,” Gilbert said. “I struggled the first inning and was throwing a lot of balls high. I think all of us were struggling getting a feel for the wet turf, but we adapted really well. It was good to see us battle through it.”

The biggest adjustment for Gilbert was, well, keeping the ball dry and she found ways to do so.

“I made sure that my glove was covering the ball the entire time,” Gilbert said. “Any time the ball would get wet, I threw it in to my catcher, Emma (Beazell) or if a person fielded it, I didn’t even touch the ball, because I didn’t want to get my hand wet. Any fielder who made an out, I told them to throw the ball into the dugout. I probably switched out at least 20 to 30 balls in the game.”

Gilbert has been the starting pitcher since her sophomore season and racked up more than 300 strikeouts. She also hit over .400 and struck out only two times entering Monday’s state playoff game against Cambridge Springs, which the Pioneers lost 9-0.

Cal U-bound: Gilbert graduates from West Greene on Friday and will continue her softball career at PennWest California. She committed there in the winter as a pitcher/infielder. Her plan is to major in business.

“It’s close to home, which is nice,” Gilbert said. “I’ve played on (Lilley) field before when we played at California in the WPIAL championship my freshman year. A lot of schools have a business major, but my friend goes to Cal and she is a business major and said their program is really good. I liked the coach when I met her. When I went there to visit, I just kind of knew.”

Multi-sport athlete: Gilbert has run the gauntlet of sports at West Greene. She played volleyball, was on the rifle team her freshman and sophomore years and then changed to cheerleading in the fall and basketball in the winter the last two years.

“Playing basketball helped me get in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” Gilbert said. “It got my stamina up for softball games and overall it’s good to be involved in different sports, so you don’t get that burnout.”

Pickleballer: Pickleball has become all the rage in recent years and Gilbert has caught the bug. She plays the sport regularly.

“Last year we started playing it in gym class,” Gilbert said. “They recently installed Pickleball courts at West Greene where our old outdoor basketball court used to be. During gym class I figured out I was really good at it. I was beating everyone. They installed a court at Waynesburg University that my friends and I go to and play on the weekends.”

Compiled by Jerin Steele