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Merkt, Emeterio named to NCCSIA All-State Softball Team
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DURHAM, N.C. – UNCG first baseman Alex Emeterio and shortstop Kaitlin Merkt have earned spots on the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association All-State Softball Team, the NCCSIA announced Wednesday.
Emeterio and Merkt started all 58 games for the Spartans, who turned in a 26-32 record and reached the fourth day of the Southern Conference Championship this season.
Emeterio was a first-team All-SoCon selection for the second straight year this season, hitting a team-best .339. The Murrieta, Calif., junior led UNCG with 58 hits, 20 walks and a .415 on-base percentage and was second on the team with 10 doubles, 22 runs scored and 22 RBI. She was named the SoCon Player of the Week on May 2 after a week in which she hit .588 and slugged 1.059 en route to helping the Spartans go 5-0 with a three-game conference sweep over Samford.
Emeterio will enter her senior year in the top 10 in school history in several categories. Her career .350 batting average is tied for fourth in UNCG history.
Merkt was a second-team All-SoCon pick this season, taking the honor for the second time in her career. The redshirt senior from Irvine, Calif., had a career year at the plate, hitting .335 with 32 runs, 32 RBI and a .561 slugging percentage, all career bests. She led UNCG with nine home runs in addition to her run, RBI and slugging marks and was second on the team in batting average, hits (55), walks (19) and on-base percentage (.395). On Feb. 11, the first day of the season, Merkt drove in the winning run in the ninth inning of UNCG's 1-0 win over then-No. 23 Florida State.
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| Alex Emeterio |
Merkt finished her career third in school history with 32 career homers and fourth with 112 RBI. She also finished in the top 10 in slugging percentage (seventh, 0.496) and walks (eighth, 61).
The all-state selection is the second straight for Emeterio and Merkt, as both were selected for the 2010 team.
2011 NCCSIA All-State Softball Team (University Division)
Pos. Name School Class Hometown
P Katy Hackett Charlotte Senior Dacula, Ga.
P Toni Paisley * East Carolina Senior Lakewood, Calif.
C Tenaya Tucker # Charlotte Senior Antelope, Calif.
IF Alex Emeterio * UNCG Junior Murrieta, Calif.
IF Jackie Gonzalez Elon Senior Suwanee, Ga.
IF Kaitlin Merkt * UNCG Senior Irvine, Calif.
IF Amanda Miller Campbell Senior Dunn, N.C.
OF Allie Cashion Appalachian State Sophomore Waxhaw, N.C.
OF Carleigh Nester Elon Freshman Kernersville, N.C.
OF Tomeka Watson * Elon Sophomore Jackson, Ga.
DP Meghan Smith Appalachian State Sophomore Stafford, Va.
U Samantha Meenaghan Gardner-Webb Freshman Atlantic Beach, Fla.
* - 2010 NCCSIA All-State pick
# - 2009 NCCSIA All-State pick
- UNCG -
