The College of New Jersey Athletics

2025 (SENIOR): Made 12 appearances on the mound, including seven starts … Logged a 2-4 record with a 5.59 ERA, striking out 26 across 37 innings … Allowed one run and struck out a season-high six batters in five innings against Ursinus (3/6) … Tossed 1.2 scoreless frames in relief against #7 Denison (3/22) … Threw a season-high 5.1 innings against Stockton, allowing three earned runs and striking out four … Recorded 3.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen in the NCAA Regional Final against #7 Salve Regina (5/18)

2024 (JUNIOR): Turned in a terrific debut season, going 4-4 with a 3.18 ERA in nine games (eight starts) ... Finished with 51 strikeouts and only 42 hits allowed in 51.0 innings ... Pitched to a .225 opponents' average ... Started the season with back-to-back 7-inning shutouts with double-digit strikeouts against Pitt Greensburg (3/10) and Muhlenberg (3/15) , after which he was named NJAC Pitcher of the Week and to the D3baseball.com Team of the Week ... Followed that up with 6.0 innings of 1-run ball against Haverford (3/21) ... Tossed an 8.0-inning gem against Rowan (4/19), allowing just one run on six hits with five strikeouts 

BEFORE TCNJ: Played two years of baseball at Wagner ... Played football and baseball at Allentown High School ... Was an All-CVC quarterback for the RedBirds 

WHY TCNJ? Better program and closer to home

PERSONAL: Birthday is September 25 ... Parents are Dan Merkel and Lilly Mark ... Has one sibling, Natalie ... Biggest athletic thrill has been going to the NEC championship sophomore year at Wagner ... Can solve a Rubik's Cube ... Likes playing poker

AWARDS AND HONORS

• D3baseball.com Team of the Week (3/20/24)
• NJAC Pitcher of the Week (3/18/24)