Prep Athlete of the Week: Katie Hinz

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - Katie Hinz shares a nickname with a pretty famous movie character: Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn.

Cheyenne Central Softball Pitcher Katie “Wild Thing” Hinz has been named the final April 2022 Wyoming News Now Prep Athlete of the Week. She earned this award following an incredible performance against #4 Laramie.

“I think what really [propelled me to that performace] is I was kind of on an empty stomach right when the game started and I drank a whole energy drink and that’s where like the jittering in the back of the circle and like the intensity and the screaming came from is really that,” said Hinz. “I don’t know why, but that’s been kinda my pre-game ritual all year is to really chug those energy drinks for some reason and just go out there firing.”

Central was also ranked (#3) in that game and Hinz faced Janey Adair, one of the best pitchers in the state. Hinz pitched a complete game, allowed zero earned runs, allowed just four hits, and struck out 13 batters en route to the Lady Indians’ 3-1 victory over the Lady Plainsmen.

“[Janey Adair is] probably one of the very best [pitchers] in the state,” said Central Softball Head Coach Carrie Barker, “and for Katie to dual with a senior was amazing and we can only hope for really great things the next two years from her.”

Katie also plays for Triple Crown Fastpitch in Colorado and her goal is to pitch for an NCAA Division I school. Katie’s mother was a D-I athlete as a basketball player at Colorado State.

Congratulations to Katie Hinz, Wyoming News Now Prep Athlete of the Week.

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