Wheeler couldn’t have asked for a better candidate for this moment than senior Isabela Lira.
The third-year starting catcher has been influential as the Bearcats have turned to promising freshman pitchers Grace Gabriel and Cadence Piunti to succeed four-year ace Clara Phariss, who is making an impact as a freshman at IU Indianapolis.
“I have good chemistry with both of the pitchers,” Lira said. “They’re both really communicative. We work well together. They’re both really good. They make it easy for me.”
Both Piunti and Gabriel agreed Lira has made the transition to the high school level easier too.
“Isa is a true captain and leader on our team,” Piunti said. “She isn’t afraid to take charge and set the tone for practices and games. She knows the perfect balance of laughing and having fun and being serious and game-ready. You can always count on her big bat and her behind the dish.
“Even last game, getting thrown in playing second base, she made hard catches look easy. I look up to Isa as a person, leader, teammate and friend.”
Gabriel agreed.
“Isa is a great teammate and person on and off the field,” Gabriel said. “Her work behind the plate doesn’t go unnoticed. She’s a great leader and knows how to calm everyone down in tough situations.”
Indeed, Lira has emerged as an overall leader for Wheeler (3-3). The South Suburban commit is a team captain along with classmates Rileyann Welch and Abby Allen.
“Being named captain made me feel very happy,” Lira said. “I felt respected and honored that my coach thought I’d be a good leader for the team and set a good example for these girls. For next year, when we’re gone, they’ll have something to build on.
“One of my goals for this year was to get more vocal, and I’ve gotten more vocal. I’m usually shy, but I stepped out of my comfort zone to be more vocal and tell my teammates where to go. I’m the catcher, so I have to lead the team and tell them what to do or where to go. You always have to be thinking about the next play, always thinking ahead.”
Lira started at first base during her freshman season, when talented catcher Kyla Chevalier was a senior.
“I never played first base before,” Lira said. “They just threw me in there because they wanted me in the field and in the lineup.”
After waiting her turn, Lira took over behind the plate and has been a stalwart for the Bearcats. Gianna Mortimer, who is in her second season as coach after guiding the junior varsity team for one season, has seen that unfold.
“Isa has grown a lot,” Mortimer said. “I came here her sophomore year, and I watched her grow into the role as a catcher. The way she has matured and just become outspoken as a player is huge, especially as a catcher and captain. I’m extremely proud of her.
“She’s always cheering on her other teammates, which is huge — even the JV girls, which we’ve really tried to encourage this year. I’m very impressed with the way she’s grown the last three years I’ve been coaching.”
Lira has also produced at the plate. She’s hitting .368 with three RBIs after batting .422 with a homer and 23 RBIs last season. During her career, she hasn’t finished a season with a batting average below .400 or with fewer than 21 RBIs.
“I’ve been doing well for catching, and my batting has been going up recently,” Lira said. “It took me a while to get going, but I’m good now. I’m more confident at the plate.”
Lira’s sister Mercedes is a former Wheeler standout who graduated in 2019 and then played at South Suburban, and her brother Danny played baseball for four seasons at Wheeler before graduating in 2021.
Mercedes Lira was an assistant for Wheeler last year and has continued to work with the team this season after giving birth to her daughter in September.
“I’m following in her footsteps, and I love her coaching me,” Isabela Lira said. “She’s really wise in softball. She’s played for so many years. She’s smart.
“She tells me what to do and how to keep my head up and not bring myself down because that brings other teammates down. You always have to have a positive attitude.”
Isabela Lira had nothing but positive things to say about being an aunt.
“I love it,” she said. “I get to see her a lot. She’s so cute. I can’t get enough of her.”
Mortimer appreciates the contributions from both sisters.
“She’s juggling being a mom and also coming here to help us out, which we can’t thank her enough for that,” Mortimer said of Mercedes Lira. “That’s good for Isa, too, to have her sister because she caught in college too. So that’s a good role model to have.”
