LOXAHATCHEE — When her bat made contact, Nicole Mergen knew she didn't have to watch.

Seminole Ridge's outfield watched for her as the towering shot cleared the left field fence with ease.

It was, in a nutshell, the type of play Mergen has become known for: a tone-setter.

And nothing quite sets the tone like a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, which was Mergen’s blast in Tuesday’s 8-4 win against Seminole Ridge.

“Being able to back my team up offensively when it’s necessary and when I can or when I’m able to — it’s a blessing to be able to play with this team and these girls and these coaches, all of it,” Mergen said.

She's had a lot of time to grow into that role, having been named a Cobras starter from day 1.

Bases Loaded: Your fan guide to Palm Beach County high school softball

After proving the softball field was where she belonged — both in the circle and in the box — Mergen realized the pinnacle of her potential during a jaw-dropping junior campaign.

Leading the Cobras to a 19-6-1 record, Mergen batted .514 with 16 home runs and 48 RBIs.

While her senior year hasn't been quite so devastating to opposing pitchers, she still strikes fear with a bat in her hand.

Tuesday’s final score against Seminole Ridge was deceiving.

The Cobras went into the top half of the seventh inning nursing a 4-3 lead.

And just as before, Mergen delivered, this time with a scorching double that rebounded off the top of the fence in left field, providing the heart of a shutout inning where the Cobras flexed their talent against another top team.

“For me, being able to help my team is always a big thing whenever I can,” Mergen said. “Even that pop fly, I probably shouldn’t have popped up on that one because it didn’t really help us. But being able to come back in the seventh, I was happy with the double, got to score a run, and it helped out our team a lot, which I was happy with.”

It was the third hit in the game that nearly cleared the fence for the young slugger.

“Nicole is just a trendsetter,” Park Vista head coach Louis Ortiz said. “She’s the type of player every coach would love to have on their team. She can get you the runs. She demands what the girls need to do for us to win. I can’t ask for anything better than that.”

Teaming up with her sister, Angeline, has been special, and her younger sister is excited to join forces once again as the postseason looms.

“I feel like we have a really tight, good bond with each other,” Angeline said. “We hold a lot of responsibility on our team. I look up to her. I feel like we’re really going to help out the team going into playoffs.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Nicole Mergen hits home-run to propel Park Vista past Seminole Ridge