FISHER, ASTA, ALLEN & MERULLA EARN NJAC ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

Scott Fisher

Matt Allen

Marc Asta

Jay Merulla

Four Richard Stockton baseball players were named to the NJAC All-Conference Team, which was announced today by the league office. Senior P/1B Scott Fisher (Toms River/TR East) was selected to the NJAC First Team. Junior SS Matt Allen (Salem/ Woodstown) and freshman 2B Marc Asta (Jackson/Jackson) were voted to the NJAC Second Team. Junior OF Jay Merulla (Logan Twp./Kingsway) was an NJAC Honorable Mention pick.

Fisher, who became Stockton’s first baseball All-American in 2008, leads the NJAC in slugging percentage (.876) and is tied for the league lead in home runs (school-record 12). The lefty slugger also ranks second in on-base percentage (.542), third in batting (.446), RBI (47) and doubles (school-record 16), tied four fourth in walks (26) and sixth in runs (42). As a pitcher, Fisher is second in the NJAC in strikeouts (48), and he also led the Ospreys with a 3.97 ERA.

Allen posted career highs with a .374 average and four home runs to go with seven doubles, two triples, 30 runs and 26 RBI in 29 games played. He registered a team-best 13-game hitting streak during the season and hit safely in all but four games overall. A three-year starter, Allen played his third different infield position by moving to shortstop after beginning his career as a third baseman in 2007 and shifting to second base last year.

Asta became one of six freshmen to earn NJAC all-conference honors by hitting .423 with six doubles, two triples and five home runs plus 33 runs and 29 RBI. The rookie stands seventh in the NJAC in batting and slugging percentage (.680) as well as tied for eighth in home runs. He finished second on the team behind Fisher in six offensive categories. Asta also was named the NJAC Rookie of the Week on February 25.

Merulla batted .373 with 16 runs, 14 RBI, seven doubles and three triples in his first season at Stockton. The transfer from Salem Community College gave the Ospreys an offensive boost with nine multiple-hit games, including five contests with three hits. Merulla also notched a 12-game hitting streak that began on April 4 and lasted through Stockton’s next-to-last game on April 25. He finished the season tied for ninth in the NJAC in triples.