ROYAL CITY — Royal pitcher Jill Allred carried a significant load for the Knights this spring, pitching every inning of the softball season during their 1A state title run.

The rising junior knew this would be the case before the season began, as pitcher Madison Ortega-Sanchez — the 2023 co-South Central Athletic Conference Player of the Year — had graduated the previous year.

“I knew it from the beginning — Maddie (Ortega-Sanchez) graduated the year before, and I just kind of knew it was going to be on me,” Allred said. “I had all the confidence in the world because my team and my coaches all had confidence in me.”

During the regular season Allred racked up 186 strikeouts over 21 games, surrendering an average of five hits per game and going on to earn first-team all-league and co-Player of the Year honors in the SCAC.

Being the team’s only pitcher, Allred threw more than 2,000 pitches in the regular season alone. 

“She has a tremendous work ethic, and she’s really mature for the age of player she is,” Royal Head Coach Lisa Lawrence said. “She’s seen a lot, she’s played a lot of softball. Honestly, she took to the challenge naturally. I think she knew what she was walking into, and she was ready to step up and get it.”

Royal won its opening game of the district tournament against Wahluke, but lost 9-8 to Kiona-Benton in the district semifinals, falling into the consolation bracket; that meant the Knights would have to win their next three games, all on the same day, to reach the state tournament for the third consecutive season. 

Allred pitched 480 times that day, surrendering a total of 25 hits while recording 47 strikeouts in wins over Naches Valley, Connell and Kiona-Benton, as well as the earlier loss to the Bears.

“I think it was just my team — I know we all wanted to go to state so badly, including me,” Allred said. “That’s all I wanted to do, and that has been our goal all season. We didn’t win districts, but we did make it to state. As a team, we all knew that that’s what we wanted to do from the beginning, so it really gave us that push throughout the day.”

The 2024 1A State Softball Tournament wasn’t the first time Allred had pitched on the state level. In 2023 she threw in each game of the state tournament, making one start, and surrendered just 10 hits while striking out 18 batters in three games.

At this year’s state tournament, Allred tossed 429 pitches in four games, surrendering 19 hits while striking out 40 batters with wins over Klahowya, Montesano, Cedar Park Christian and Seton Catholic.

“I was feeling so confident, especially in that Montesano game — I knew that my defense was behind me,” Allred said. “Montesano was the toughest game that we went through. My defense was with me, and I felt so confident over the whole tournament.”

In the championship game against Seton Catholic, Allred recorded 11 strikeouts in the circle and three of Royal’s 15 hits with four RBI at the plate.

“We were stringing hits together, so that really helps me pitching because I have a little bit of flexible room to work with,” Allred said. 

Throughout the 2024 season, Allred got it done both in the circle and at the plate; as a pitcher, she recorded 273 total strikeouts while limiting teams to 149 hits, and as a batter recorded 48 hits with 43 RBI.

“She’s a really confident player, which she should be — she’s played a lot of ball,” Lawrence said. “When the opportunity presents itself, especially offensively, she is that person that really steps up and gets the job done.”

Working on her confidence was a key aspect in preparing for the 2024 season, Allred said.

“I definitely learned to knock off the nerves,” she said. “My freshman year, especially coming into state and districts, I just had to tell myself, ‘Jill, you’re here for a reason, it’s okay.’ The nerves are going to be there, but I had to shake them off.”

Allred started playing softball when she was nine years old, citing influence from her older sister and 2024 Royal High School grad Randi Allred. The two shared the diamond for the past two seasons with the Knights, with Randi catching each pitch Jill threw this season.

“She would push me, and she was one that could tell me, ‘Hey, your curveball isn’t working today, you’ve got to keep working,’” Allred said. ‘She really pushed me to be my best.”

Ahead of the 2025 season, Jill said she hopes to work on her leadership skills, especially with the Knights graduating three seniors off of their state championship-winning team this spring.

“I was a part of the captain group last year, and I think I need to carry on the legacy of those seniors,” Allred said. “They definitely helped us all season long.”

With two more seasons ahead of her as a Knight, Lawrence said she is excited to see what Jill can develop into.

“I know Jill’s working all summer long, playing travel ball and in the gym getting stronger,” Lawrence said. “She’s got a great mental focus, so I think the sky’s the limit. She’s going to improve more and more over these next couple of years. I can’t wait to see it.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com. 

    Jill Allred waits for a pitch in the batter’s box during a state playoff game against Klahowya in Richland. Allred picked up 48 hits this spring while driving in 43 runs.
  

    Royal’s Jill Allred, left, lines up at third base ahead of a pitch during the 2023 state championship game against Montesano. Allred split time at pitcher that year with 2023 graduate Madison Ortega-Sanchez, but moved into the team’s full-time pitcher this season.
  

    Jill Allred celebrates on second base after hitting a double during a game in the 2023 season. Allred has started for the Knights for each of her first two Royal softball seasons.