Volcano Vista catcher also excels on defense for top-seeded squad as playoffs begin.
The
Volcano Vista (Albuquerque) softball team trailed defending state champion Rio Rancho 4-0 when junior catcher
Lauren Wilmert belted a three-run homer to spark a landslide 9-4 victory.
The Hawks, who previously had lost to Rio Rancho by scores of 10-2 and 8-7, have not lost since then and carry a 22-2 record and No. 1 seeding into Friday's first round of the Class 6A state tournament.
Lauren Wilmert, Volcano Vista
Photo courtesy of Martha Griego
Volcano Vista's first-year head coach, Tim O'Meara, recalled, "It (the three-run blast) made a big difference. It gave the team more confidence. She went on to hit two more."
Hitting three home runs in a single game enabled the 5-foot-9 Wilmert to tie the state record, which now is shared by five players. She also drove in six runs and has 11 round-trippers this spring.
Rio Rancho's Paul Kohman, who has been coaching for 30 years, said he couldn't recall any stronger offensive performance against one of his teams. He noted, "She took advantage of every mistake we made. She has an enormous amount of potential."
O'Meara calls Wilmert "probably the best defensive catcher in the state. She keeps everybody honest. Not too many people run on her. She knows the game really well."
Wilmert started hitting in the key No. 4 position in the lineup, but got off to a slow start and was moved to the fifth and sixth spots before reclaiming her cleanup slot.
O'Meara said he didn't expect Wilmert to have such a big year with the bat, but pointed out, "She plays year round and works really hard. She's reaping some of those rewards now."
Those "rewards" could include a state championship for a team that also boasts two of the state's premier pitchers.
