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May 6, 2008Harris named league MVP, all-region pick
PELLA—Central College senior catcher Kelly Harris of LeClaire (Pleasant Valley HS) has been named the Iowa Conference softball Player of the Year and has also been tabbed for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Midwest Region squad.
Two other Pleasant Valley High School graduates competing for the Dutch received all-conference recognition as well. Junior outfielder Hannah Weindruch (Bettendorf) was a first-team all-conference selction while sophomore shortstop Afton Nelson (Bettendorf) was a second-team pick. Junior pitcher Megan Swingen (Woden, Woden-Crystal Lake HS) received honorable mention.
Harris, who is now under consideration for the NFCA all-America teams, was a second-team all-region pick in 2006 and 2007. It’s also the third time she has received all-conference recognition. She was a first-team selection in 2006 and a second-team choice last season.
Harris is the eighth Central player to win Iowa Conference MVP honors and the first since 2004. She led the Iowa Conference in runs (49), on-base percentage (.549) and slugging percentage (.798) while finishing second in batting average (.462), hits (55), home runs (9), stolen bases (19) and total bases (95). She also drove in 30 runs despite batting in the leadoff spot and compiled a .978 fielding percentage. She limited opponents to 20 stolen bases, compared to Central’s 101.
The four-year starter shattered school season records for runs, homers, total bases and slugging percentage. She also broke school career records for batting average (.379), slugging percentage (.577), stolen base percentage (.866), runs (145), total bases (280) and baserunners picked off (48).
Harris is tied for fourth in school history in career hits (184), tied for fifth in doubles (29), tied for second in triples (11), is second in home runs (150), second in RBIs (112) and sixth in stolen bases (71).
Weindruch, in her first year as the starter in left field, batted .325 with 24 runs scored, six doubles, two triples, two homers and 19 RBIs. She stole 11 bases and compiled a .902 fielding percentage.
Nelson, a starter at third base as a freshman, moved to fill a vacancy at shortstop early this season. She hit .309 with 19 runs scored, four doubles, 29 RBIs and 13 stolen bases while compiling a .913 fielding percentage.
Swingen, a three-year starter, posted an 8-4 record with a 3.07 earned run average. She struck out 59 hitters in 89 innings and walked 34.
After a rocky start, a young Central squad won seven of its final eight regular-season games and posted a 24-16 record. The Dutch will return starters at eight positions next year.
Central College’s Iowa Conference softball MVPs
1987—Laurie Sutten, P
1988—Brenda Vigness, P
1991—Christi Van Werden, 2B
1993—Emily Grimes, P
1996—Missey Allen, P
2003—Libby Hysell, P
2004—Corrie Schmidt, P
2008—Kelly Harris, C