Park Vista’s Nicole Mergen had an outstanding junior season, earning Sun Sentinel Palm Beach County Class 7A-6A player of the year honors.
So what did she do for an encore? She got even better in the pitcher’s circle.
“A big goal for me was to do better in the circle,” Mergen said. “… I wasn’t really a starter as much last year, so I knew coming into this year that I was going to be a big part in the circle and I had to do well and be a leader.”
After becoming the Cobras’ top pitcher and continuing her dominant run at the plate, she earned player of the year honors for the second year in a row.
Mergen posted video-game numbers as a hitter in 2023, batting .514 with 16 home runs — tied for second-most in Florida. Her hitting statistics were not as prodigious this season. Mergen needed to settle for merely stellar. She hit .386 with nine home runs and a 1.656 OPS.
However, she took a big step forward in the pitching circle. After going 4-0 with a 3.73 ERA as a junior, Mergen went 7-3 with a 1.11 ERA this season. She increased her workload from 20 2/3 innings last year to 63 1/3 this season, striking out 50 batters. She improved her command, as well. Although she pitched more than 40 more innings this season, she only walked one more batter than last year.
“A big thing was making sure I had enough endurance because I would be pitching multiple games throughout the week,” Mergen said. “So running was a big thing, making sure I had the endurance to pitch seven innings at the same speed I threw from Inning 1 to Inning 7, and then throw a day at practice and the next day, pitch again for seven innings.”
She showed off her abilities in both aspects in a two-day stretch this April. Against St. Lucie West Centennial High on April 17, she went 0 for 3 at the plate but pitched a complete game, allowing one unearned run and striking out 11 in a 2-1 victory.
Two days later against Treasure Coast, she pitched one inning and got the save but went 2 for 3 with two home runs and five RBIs.
Mergen is staying in Florida in college, signing with West Florida.
“My biggest thing about going to that school is just the community that they had up there,” Mergen said. “The moment I got there, I felt like I was at home. I felt like I fit very well into that program.”
