Since arriving on the scene for Neshannock as a freshman, Gabby Quinn has always come through in the clutch.
Widely regarded as one of the best pure hitters in the area, “Big Game Gabby” was already a household name in WPIAL circles going into her senior year. A power-hitting third baseman with a flair for the dramatic, Quinn homered in both the 2022 and 2024 PIAA Class 2A championship games to help the Lancers cement their unprecedented dynasty with a pair of perfect seasons along with three consecutive WPIAL titles.
Now, following the graduation of trusted catcher Gabby Perod, Neshannock’s “Homecoming Quinn” has shifted seamlessly from the hot corner to the backstop to fill the massive void behind the plate — proving to be just as versatile on the diamond as she is off of it.
“She is amazing to me,” said Lancers coach Jackie Lash. “Honestly, I’m thrilled with her back there. … In her first real game behind the plate, she caught a no-hitter from Addy [Frye]. That’s not easy to do. Addy is throwing hard and has some movement.
“Gabby has always been a leader. I can think back to junior high. But I think it shows even more having her behind the plate.”
Known as a tremendously hard worker and a true student of the game, Quinn spends long hours in the gym and on the practice field perfecting her craft, all while devoting enough time to her studies to maintain a 4.1 GPA. A Kent State recruit, Quinn was crowned by her peers as the school’s homecoming queen in September.
“I truly believe she is the definition of a kid who should be crowned something at school,” Lash said. “It doesn’t matter if she’s on the ballfield or in the classroom. I have gotten such good feedback from teachers. … This, to me, is a legacy as one of the best all-around players and people to come through this program.
“The legacy she leaves will just be that of a young lady who sees the big picture of what it takes to have a winning program, a championship program, and the ability to positively impact everybody around her.”
On most weekdays, Quinn’s routine starts with a 6 a.m. workout before school at Grossetti Performance in New Castle, while she typically goes from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on days off from school. After class, she goes directly to her training session with her hitting instructor at 3:30 p.m., followed by team practice from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
For most high school athletes, that’s more than enough to call it a day and get some rest, but Quinn isn’t like most athletes. Several nights a week, Quinn and her teammates will stay after practice to get extra reps in, sometimes as late as 10 p.m. when the weather gets nice.
Finally, after returning home, Quinn finishes all of her homework and goes to bed, ready to do it all again the next day.
“She is always working so hard for us,” Lash said. “I know she hits home runs and all of that, but just to be able to have a kid like this on the team — it contributes so much to the success we have. … Her softball knowledge is far beyond most kids at the high school level.”
An extra-base machine with a knack for spraying heat-seeking line-drives all over the outfield, Quinn has provided a reliable punch in the middle of Neshannock’s lineup since her freshman year. After batting above .400 with six home runs in each of her first three high school seasons, Quinn is on pace to blow past those numbers as a senior, slashing .481/.559/1.222 with 3 doubles, a triple, 5 home runs and 19 RBIs through the Lancers’ first 11 games.
But despite her prolific numbers and reputation as a proven big-game player, Quinn has spent much of her career in the shadow of one of her closest friends, Neshannock’s flame-throwing senior pitcher Addy Frye. While Frye has generated most of the headlines as a two-way sensation with 24 career home runs of her own, Quinn has been right there with her every step of the way — and now, the two are forever linked as battery mates for the final year of their remarkable high school careers.
“Especially with the pitcher-catcher duo now, it’s pretty funny how it came full circle,” Quinn said. “We have actually been playing together since we were 9 or 10 years old. … We’ve been working as a duo for a long time now.”
For her career, Quinn is now up to 109 hits and 118 RBIs with a batting average of .452, while Frye has 122 hits and 140 RBIs with an average of .490. It’s no coincidence, then, that since the pair arrived in 2022, Neshannock has an overall record of 85-1 with three consecutive WPIAL titles and two state championship banners.
“We always say, everybody always wants to beat Neshannock,” Quinn said. “That pressure is in almost every sport. Everybody always wants to beat you. … Whenever you come in as a freshman, you’re told there is a huge target on your back. The more games I’ve played, I’ve become less and less worried about it and more worried about going out every single game and doing everything I can to help my team.”
As the individual statistics and accolades continue to pile up for Quinn, her singular focus remains on the team and its goal of becoming the greatest softball dynasty in WPIAL history. The Lancers might already have a legitimate claim to the title, having compiled a WPIAL-record 48-game win streak from 2022-23, followed immediately by their current streak of 37 consecutive wins and counting. Now on the cusp of a fourth consecutive WPIAL title and potentially its third perfect season in four years, Neshannock is well on its way to cementing its case once and for all.
Some will still point to the Lancers’ status as a Class 2A school as a knock on their resume compared to other great dynasties of yesteryear, but their extensive list of victories against big-school powerhouses should easily dissuade any of those arguments.
“Iron sharpens iron,” Quinn said. “Going out and playing teams like that who you know are good and intimidating, it’s so important. … It’s really important to see games like that, because that’s what we’re going to face [in the playoffs].”
Others around the country have taken notice of their dominance, as shown by Neshannock’s status as the only team in Pennsylvania ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25. Coming in at No. 16 in the latest national rankings, the Lancers are likely the smallest school on the list, and one of the few comprising strictly home-grown talent.
No matter where they land in the polls, though, there’s no question this is a once-in-a-lifetime team led by a one-of-a-kind player — and they aren’t done making history just yet.
“[Quinn] is just a kid who is going to give you her all at every moment. She’s not going to take a pitch off,” Lash said. “Kids like this, they’re close to your heart. You’re thrilled to be fortunate enough to be around them. … I love the kid to death.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
