MCC earns 2nd trip to softball nationals

by Staff Reports
(reprinted from the Muscatine Journal)    
    
FORT DODGE, Iowa - Everything fell into place perfectly and the result will be a return trip to the Division II Junior College Softball World Series for Muscatine Community College. 
    
After knocking rival Cedar Rapids Kirkwood into the loser's bracket in Sunday's opening game, the Indians got some help from Iowa Lakes, which eliminated the seventh-ranked Eagles in a 5-3, 10-inning thriller. 
    
Muscatine then completed its unbeaten run through the eight-team Region XI tournament field with an 8-0 shutout of the Lakers in the championship game at Harlan Rogers Softball Complex. 
    
 "I think we broke Kirkwood's back when we beat them and then Iowa Lakes broke their spirits," said MCC coach Scott Beatty. "Iowa Lakes was upset in the first round and had to come all the way back through the loser's bracket; they just ran out of gas." 
    
The Indians, who qualified for the national tournament for the first time last year, will be returning to Fort Dodge for the Division II World Series May 19-22. 
    
Muscatine won twice on Saturday - a 9-3 opening round win over North Iowa (NIACC) and a 4-1 decision over host Iowa Central, which had upset No. 3 seed Iowa Lakes in the first round - to set up the winner's bracket final with top-seeded Kirkwood on Sunday. 
    
The Indians got a quick start against Kirkwood ace Shea Carpenter when Stephanie Mikulecky drove in a first inning run. The Eagles, however, came right back to score twice off starting MCC hurler Meghan Oden. 
    
But Muscatine regained the lead in the second when Mandy Kerr ripped a two-run double. 
    
After getting Kirkwood out in the second, Oden ran into third-inning trouble. The Eagles loaded the bases and, with two outs, Beatty lifted his ace in favor of Jessica McCarty, who got a ground ball to end the threat. 
    
"Kirkwood had roughed up Meghan the last three times she had faced them, so I decided to change things up by bringing in Jess," said Beatty. "She got out of the jam and then shut them down the rest of the way." 
    
McCarty, a sophomore from Ottumwa who has spent most of her two years here on the injured list, struck out five in earning her eighth win of the season. 
    
After watching Iowa Lakes eliminate Kirkwood, Beatty sent McCarty back to the mound for the championship game. She responded with another gem, limiting the Lakers to three hits while striking out six and walking just one. 
    
She was backed by an 11-hit attack that included six extra base hits. 
    
After scoring twice in the first, Kerr and Ashley Hoffman belted back-to-back home runs in the third and the Indians rolled from there. 
    
"McCarty, wow," said Beatty. "She was terrific. She's a bulldog; once she gets the lead, she smells a win. The wind was blowing out, and Jess is a down pitcher (throws a lot of drop balls); she was spotting her pitches perfectly. 
    
"With everything that Jess has gone through the last two years, you couldn't ask for a better scenario." 
    
Muscatine pounded out 14 hits in romping to the 9-3 decision over NIACC. Kerr, Margaret Lear and Jessica Ball each had three hits. Kerr and Sarah Manning each hit home runs and combined for seven RBI. 
    
Oden was outstanding in the 4-1 win over Iowa Central. The sophomore from Centerville struck out 10 and allowed just four hits. Lear had RBI hits in the second and third innings to lead the offense. 
    
"Lear had a phenomenal weekend," said Beatty. "We had keyed on the Nos. 4 (Mikulecky) and 7 (Lear) spots in the order as keys and they both came through great. 
    
"We had good contributions up and down the lineup." 
    
Muscatine will take a 52-10 record and a No. 10 national ranking into the tournament next week. The pairings will be announced after the 12 regionals have been completed.