Inside Arlington Bowie baseball’s first playoff appearance in over a decade
For more than a decade, the Arlington Bowie baseball program has endured losing seasons.
The 2025 season, however, has led to a different outcome for the Volunteers.
On Friday, April 25, Bowie played its final regular season game before heading to unfamiliar territory: The postseason. The Volunteers earned the fourth-place spot in District 8-6A and, with a smaller enrollment, will advance to the Class 6A Division II bracket — it’s the first playoff appearance since 2013.
“It’s great,” Bowie head coach Alex Johnson said. “It’s a combination of all the hard work my players and my coaches have put in. I know it means a lot to them. I know it means a lot to our alumni and to our parents, who have been there every step of the way.
“It means a lot to our administration, our teachers here at Bowie High School, and our community. So it’s a big deal. There’s been a lot of people, either seen or unseen, that have put a lot of work in to help build this program.”
Why did this group of players earn a playoff appearance? To Johnson, the experienced upperclassmen have paved the way.
“Our kids felt very confident coming in,” Johnson said. “They’ve been playing baseball together now for four years, most of our seniors. I’ve got eight seniors, and it’s a good mix of kids.”
One of those seniors is Isaiah Henderson, who is an elite all-around, game-changing player. He ranks among the best contact hitters in Dallas-Fort Worth and can also hit for power. On the mound, he has been monumental in leading Bowie to victory.
Johnson challenged Henderson to improve his pitching, and he answered the call, setting up Bowie for success. Henderson credited him for his strong work ethic and unwavering dedication.
“He can be a little goofy at times in practice, but when the lights come on and it’s time to perform, there’s nobody better. He comes out. He’s a competitor. He is very baseball-savvy.”
Consistent pitching is one of the main reasons the Volunteers are in a position to succeed. Bowie’s Tuesday pitcher, sophomore Roman Ortega, has been productive as an underclassman, and Johnson added that his potential is “unlimited.”
“(Ortega) is a great control pitcher,” Johnson said. “He has a really good feel for four pitches, and then obviously, Isaiah (Henderson) comes in on Friday and has yet to give up an earned run in district. So pitching has been our strength.”
Bowie’s offense isn’t eye-popping, but it’s competitive with timely hitting. With the combination of strong pitching and also improved defense, the Volunteers have been able to elevate their play.
With the playoff drought, the team has been in an “unfamiliar position” all season. To make the playoffs, the Volunteers coaching staff has consistently repeated a message: The job is not done.
“It’s getting them to not only believe in themselves but also to continue to stay focused through all of this,” Johnson said.
As the playoffs approach, Johnson wants the squad to stick to its routine. Bowie baseball has already posted its best season since 2013, yet the Volunteers want to take it as far as possible.
The 2024-25 school year has been an eventful one for Bowie athletics. In the fall, the football team won an undefeated district title and advanced to the area-round playoffs. Throughout the year, the community has rallied behind the newfound athletic success.
“A lot of our parents, a lot of our community members, and a lot of our former players from the last couple of years have started to come out to watch us play,” Johnson said. “I think we’re starting to see traction there. It’s been nice to see and get a lot of recognition from everyone in the community and start seeing a lot of the great things that are going on at Bowie High School.”
One of the alumni who returned was Vernon Wells, a three-time All-Star and 15-year veteran of the MLB. Wells, a member of the class of 1997, is the only Bowie graduate to make the MLB. The Volunteers honored him on March 28, and it was a special moment for the program, according to Johnson.
Regardless of the postseason appearance, Johnson said the journey Bowie baseball has been on this year has been a ton of fun.
“The kids are close with each other,” Johnson said. “They hang out with each other outside of school. They go get dinners after games, and it’s I’m going to miss this group because of how close they’ve gotten and just how much they’ve matured and evolved, not only as baseball players but as young men. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do in the future.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 11:13 AM.
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