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State-ranked Sparta softball is soaring through opponents this season with its eyes set on a visit to the Final Four.
Natalie Wilks is leading the way for the Lady Trojans on the rubber and in the batter’s box.
When playing against Sparta, opponents know what to expect.
“I don’t think there’s been a varsity inning where she hasn’t been our starting pitcher,” Sparta softball coach Troy McPherson said.
The Lady Trojans call on Wilks a lot.
“Where do you begin? She’s such an amazing young lady, she works harder than anybody that we’ve got. She’s always out on the field, she’s in pitching lessons whenever she can be,” McPherson added.
All that work pays off, Natalie has pitched over 100 innings for Sparta earning nearly two strikeouts per inning and an ERA of just over one.
In the last two seasons, she has 400 strikeouts for the Lady Trojans.
“She’s gets ahead with her fastball and then she’s able to locate her off-speed pitches very well and she can spin it with the best of them,” the coach said.
This season, she even has a new pitch she’s perfected.
“I learned a rise ball so that has been helping tremendously. Throwing rise balls and drop Balls at the same time can really mix off some hitters so it’s nice,” Sparta junior Natalie Wilks said.
However, Wilks isn’t only the team’s spark on defense. She also bats second in the lineup.
“I wanted her to get those at-bats so that we could get her on base. Her on-base percentage was ridiculous last year, she was a .700 on-base percentage,” said McPherson.
She’s on her way to repeat that number. Through 20 games she’s batting over .500. Something she credits to her time in the circle.
“Being a pitcher, it helps with the strike zone so I can tell where the umpires are calling stuff, and what I should swing at and what I should not swing at. I can get my timing down very well,” Wilks said.
Whether at the plate or in the circle, Wilks is the spark for the Lady Trojans every single game.
“Our goal is to set a tone, and every single time she steps on the rubber she sets a tone,” said McPherson.
