A word of warning is in order for potential AISA postseason teams. Marengo Academy catcher Amber Walker is awake. She’s alert. She’s focused. And she’s ripping opposing pitchers at a near-felonious rate.

The Faulkner State signee has posed a threat all season long. Her batting average has remained high, but her usual power numbers have been noticeably absent. Heading into the Lady Longhorns visit to Montgomery two weekends ago, she had stroked just one home run on the year.

Then, something happened. While it is nearly impossible to pinpoint the stimulus for her sudden awakening, the No. 1 ranked Lady Longhorns and head coach Todd Mathis are just sitting back and enjoying the benefits.

The multi-talented catcher and first-baseman is stroking the ball at an eye-popping .682 clip over her last seven games. That translates to a 15-for-22 stretch that has seen her crush two doubles and launch three home runs in just over a week.

Still more impressive than her power numbers and high contact rate is her production with runners on base. Walker’s last 22 at-bats have seen her knock in 20 runs to help Marengo Academy score 61 times in a seven-game span.

If she can continue to hit at even a fraction of that pace from her spot at the heart of the MA order, Walker will have most certainly done her part to carry the once-blemished Lady Longhorns to their coveted AISA state title.