The National Junior College Athletic Association released its All-American teams for Division I colleges and Crowder's Sam Bates was on the list.
Bates hit .432 with 20 doubles, four triples, 13 home runs and 60 RBI this spring for the Roughriders. He was named to the third-team All-American squad.
“He deserved it, he was our MVP,” Crowder coach Travis Lallemand said. “He is one of the best players that have came through here since I've been here. He was really locked in this year and when (Koby) Peebles and (Kyle) Hardy got hurt, he got even less pitches to hit.”
Said Bates, “It's a great honor as a player to be selected and it feels good to be one of the best and to bring it to Crowder College. Crowder has been so good to me and I wouldn’t have developed into the player I am if it wasn't for Crowder.”
Bates, a Cabot, Ark., native has signed to play baseball at Arkansas next year.
The first-team All-Americans included Bryce Harper, catcher, College of Southern Nevada; Ben Carhart, infield, Palm Beach State College; Tyler Oliver, infielder, Wabash Valley College; Brent Seifert, infielder, Iowa Western Community College; Johnathan Hester, infielder, Middle Georgia College; Lucas LeBlanc, outfielder, Delgado Community College; John Barrett, outfielder, Hagerstown Community College; Erik Mattingly, outfielder, Garden City Community college; Ryan Krumlauf, designated hitter, Garrett College; Wes Cook, pitcher, Central Alabama Community College; Miguel Pena, pitcher, San Jacinto and Michael White, pitcher, Walters State Community College.
Harper, thanks to a .443 average, 31 home runs and 98 RBI in only 66 games, was named the American Baseball Coaches Association Junior College Player of the Year.
