Sandia Prep pitcher Joe Martinez (13), in center, celebrates with teammate after his perfect game in the New Mexico 4A state championship on Saturday. Twitter photo
Joe Martinez came up with the perfect moment to throw a perfect game. The Sandia Prep (Albuquerque, N.M.) sophomore struck out 15 and allowed no base runners in his team’s 4A state championship defeat of Rudioso on Saturday.
It was only his second career start. For his effort, Martinez leads the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performances of the Week. The rest of the top performances:
Rai Benjamin, track and field, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Senior broke a 38-year-old state record in the 400-meter hurdles Sunday at the Westchester County Championships in Byram Hills with a time of 50.45 seconds. He also won the 100 and ran one of the legs on the winning 1,600-meter relay.
Tate Brock, baseball, Hurricane, W.Va.
Senior catcher, a West Virginia signee, hit a walk-off grand slam to give his team a 13-0 defeat of Lincoln County (Hamlin) on Wednesday.
Taylor Conley, softball, Dennis-Yarmouth, Yarmouth, Mass.
Junior shortstop hit for the cycle, finishing with five RBI, in an 11-1 defeat of Martha’s Vineyard on Monday. On Wednesday, she went 4-for-5 in a 15-3 defeat of Nauset (Eastham).
Micaela Dix, softball, Hunterdon Central, Flemington, N.J.
Junior third baseman-pitcher hit a two-out, three-run walk-off homer in her team’s 15-12 defeat of Marlboro in the state Central Group IV quarterfinals on Wednesday. She finished the game 4-for-5 with five RBI.
Zach Gentle, lacrosse, Westfield, Mass.
Sophomore scored seven goals and assisted on two in a 15-6 defeat of Minnechaug (Wilbraham) on Monday.
Kate Kinsella, lacrosse, Wall, Wall Township, N.J.
Junior scored seven goals, including one with 53 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime and the game-winning goal in overtime, in a 13-12 South Group III quarterfinal defeat of Colts Neck on Monday.
Hannah Larson, softball, Marysville-Pilchuck, Marysville, Wash.
Junior first baseman hit for the cycle, including a ninth-inning walk-off grand slam, in a 14-10 defeat of Oak Harbor on May 11.
Stephanie Lin, badminton, Lyons Township, La Grange, Ill.
Senior defeated Judy Yang in three sets Saturday to become the first person in the state to earn three state badminton titles in a row, finishing her career with a record of 45-2.
Nicole Montgomery, track and field, Lewis-Palmer, Monument, Colo.
Kansas signee ran the 400 meters in 52.95 seconds, the second-fastest time in the country this season, to win the event at the state 4A meet on Saturday. She also won the 200 and 100 meters at the state meet.