Four MCC softball players named to All-American teams

Reprinted from the Muscatine Journal
      
MUSCATINE, Iowa - Four Muscatine Community College softball players earned national recognition after leading the Indians to their first-ever berth in the national tournament. 
    
Earning All-American honors from the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association were sophomores Janet Barker and Ann Sievert, along with freshmen Margaret Lear and Mandy Kerr. 
    
Besides her second-team berth from the NFPCA, Barker also was honored with a third-team selection by the National Junior College Athletic Association. 
    
Barker, who went 46-10 on the mound during her career at MCC, was a first-team pick last season when she compiled a 22-5 record. 
    
The pitcher from HLV High School in Victor worked 181 innings this year and had a 0.79 ERA. She struck out 315 batters, while walking just 22. Besides her 24-5 record, Barker picked up two saves. 
    
She has narrowed her choices for next year to Southwest Missouri State University (Springfield), Baylor University (WACO, Texas) and Minnesota State University (Mankato). 
    
The Indians' lone first-team pick on the NFPCA All-American squad was Kerr, an outfielder from Davenport Central High School. 
    
She hit .424 with 18 doubles, a triple and two home runs among her 67 hits. She drove in 46 runs and stole 18 bases. 
    
Joining Barker on the second team were Sievert and Lear. 
    
Sievert, an infielder who played high school ball at Davenport Assumption, batted .342 with 12 doubles, a triple and a home run among her 53 hits. 
    
Sievert, who has signed to continue her collegiate softball career at Valparaiso University, drove in 49 runs and stole 19 bases. 
    
Lear, an outfielder from Muscatine, batted .436 in her freshman season. She banged out a dozen doubles, two triples and a home run among her 74 hits. Lear stole 27 bases and drove in 32 from her leadoff position. 
    
Coach Scott Beatty's Indians return a nucleus of 11 players from the 2004 team that finished 52-9 and qualified for the national tournament. Beatty has already signed 10 players for next season.