Everything clicked for the St. Joseph softball team Friday.

The pitching was stellar. The offense racked up 12 hits. The defense was error-free. The Knights made short work of a 14-1 Mountain League win against Mission Prep at St. Joseph Friday. The game was called after the top of the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule.

“Our offense is way ahead of where it was at this point last year,” St. Joseph second baseman Makenna Pirnat said after the three-time defending outright league champions moved to 7-2-1, 3-0. The Royals dropped to 4-10, 0-3.

The Knights have scored 32 runs total in their three league games. Friday, Kaycie Gavlak hit a third-inning grand slam, and Pirnat and Shai Valadez drove in three runs each.

Eight St. Joseph batters had at least one hit. Four had two. The Knights scored four runs in each of the first three innings innings and two more in the fourth.

Mission Prep had two hits against St. Joseph sophomore starting pitcher Khandi Rodriguez. Malia Okimoto whacked a two-out double to left field in the third inning. McKenzie Gordon singled Okimoto home.

St: Joseph starting first baseman Kali Padilla finished up on the mound for the Knights with two innings of perfect relief.

“I’ve made three (pitching) appearances this year, and they’ve all been in the later innings,” Padilla said after she struck out the side in the fifth.

The St. Joseph batters sprayed hits all over the outfield Friday. Gavlak, well out in front, swung and missed on an off-speed Rivas pitch in the third. Gavlak didn’t miss on her next swing, sending the ball far over the right-center fence for a no-doubt grand slam.

The Knights made plenty happen on the base paths. Their base runners regularly took the extra base on base hits. All three St. Joseph runners who stole a base in the first inning scored.

Annalyssa Cota scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch.

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Cota has signed with Santa Clara. She was one of five St: Joseph starters Friday who played for the St: Joseph squad that won the 2024 CIF Central Section Division 2 championship.

Pirnat and St. Joseph catcher Vienn Bowker were two of those Friday starters who played for that 2024 Knights squad.

“They missed last season because of serious injuries,” said St. Joseph coach Anthony Razo. “Having them back this year has made a big difference for us. They give us great senior leadership” Bowker had an RBI Friday.

Pirnat is batting .654. Bowker is hitting .370. Valadez had a solid freshman season last year, and she is hitting .353 this year.

As for her defense, “it hasn’t been an adjustment for me,” Valadez said. “I play third base and catcher here. I play third base and catcher in club ball.”

Rodriguez emerged as a solid No. 2 pitcher behind four-time All-Area MVP Taylor Mediano for the Knights last year. Rodriguez is St. Joseph’s ace on the mound this year.

Besides a strong blend of veteran and younger talent, the Knights think the non-league scale they played will serve them well.

“Some of the non-league teams we played are better than some of the teams we play in our league,” said Pirnat.

“(Fresno) Clovis North has won the last two (Central Section) Division 1 championships,” said Razo. “Their No. 1 pitcher is back, so they’re favored to win it again.

“We tied them 0-0 in eight innings,” on March 7.

The Knighta will play a league game at Templeton Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.