Kansas City, Mo. - The Central Methodist baseball team garnered 10 Heart All-Conference selections, highlighted by three First-Team members and the Player of the Year, Robbie Merced.
Merced had a stellar junior campaign with the Eagles, as the native of Springfield, Mo. hit .442 during the regular season and belted a program 24 home runs along with 78 RBI. Merced also recorded nine doubles, three triples and a 1.034 slugging percentage. In addition to Player of the Year honors, he was named a Heart First Team All-Conference performer.
Joining Merced on the First Team are centerfielder Bobby Nichols and ace pitcher Nick Merkel.
Nichols has been a force on the base paths in his first season with Central, swiping 54 bases in 2022, a new single-season school record. The Detroit, Mich. native has recorded a .331 batting average including a 10 doubles, three triples, and two home runs. He leads the team with 63 runs scored through 51 games.
Merkel has led Central's pitching staff to 10 victories in 14 starts in 2022. He has thrown 91 innings, tallied 118 strikeouts and recorded a 2.27 earned run average. Merkel has broken numerous program records this year including; career wins (28), career strikeouts (267) and single-season complete games (9). He is now a two-time Heart First Team All-Conference selection.
Five Eagles were recognized on the Heart All-Conference Second Team including; Jeff Vance, Tanner Sears, Cole Luedeking, Beau Atkins, and Sebastian Escobar.
Vance appeared in 46 games as Central's primary catcher, batting .350 with 11 doubles, three triples, and four home runs. The senior has also thrown out seven runners on the basepaths.
Sears landed on the Second Team after appearing in all 51 games for Central. The native of Higginsville, Mo. recorded a .351 batting average, picking up 59 hits including 18 for extra bases. Sears tallied 11 doubles, two triples and five home runs for the Eagles. He also drove in 41 runners and scored 32 runs.
Luedeking collected 43 RBI in his first season with CMU. He led the team with 16 doubles and recorded a .371 batting average in 50 games as Central's primary right fielder.
Atkins became a two-time Heart Second Team All-Conference performer after posting an 8-0 record in 10 starts on the bump. He pitched 70.1 innings and finished second on the team with 90 strikeouts and a 2.82 earned run average.
Escobar rounds out the second team selections for Central. He secured an 8-1 record with one save in 14 appearances and 13 starts on the mound. Escobar racked up 83 strikeous through 64 innings of work.
Sophomore second baseman Tommaso Giarola and senior third basemen Grant Victor were both named Honorable Mention All-Conference.
Giarola appeared in all 50 games for the Eagles, finishing the year with a .294 batting average, 11 doubles, eight home runs, and 39 RBI.
Victor finished his senior campaign batting .314 with 49 hits including eight doubles and four home runs. The native of Pasadena, Calif. was also named a Heart Gold Glover for his play at third base. In 50 games played through the regular season, Victor recorded a .938 fielding percentage with 50 assists.
The Eagles will play No. 2 seeded Clarke University on Day two of the Heart Conference Tournamet Saturday, May 7 at 8:30 p.m.
To view the conference release on the 2022 Heart Baseball All-Conference teams, please click here.
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