MOC baseball trio honored

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on May 31, 2012 1:48 PM

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MOC

Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College junior catcher Geno Escalante, senior first baseman Jacob Rogers and junior shortstop Mike Mercurio have earned more All-America honors this spring.

The trio garnered recognition by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). Escalante drew acknowledgement from both organizations, while Rogers grabbed a spot on the NCBWA second team. Mercurio was a third-team pick by NCBWA.

Escalante concluded the season with a school-record, 46-game hitting streak -- tying him for the fourth-longest streak in Division II history. He recorded at least one hit in 52 of 54 games and fashioned a .436 batting average.

Named the Conference Carolinas player-of-the-year, Rogers led the nation in runs scored (86) and smashed 17 home runs. At one point this season, Rogers ranked in the top 25 in 12 different statistical categories.

Mercurio ranked among the top 10 in Conference Carolinas play in 13 offensive categories, including third with 56 RBI despite hitting in the lead-off position much of the season. He was second in league action with 25 stolen bases.

Mount Olive finished 44-10 this season and claimed its third consecutive Conference Carolina championship. The Trojans hosted the Southeast Regional.