Dominican's Eifel Voted First Team All-Conference

Mercado receives honorable mention as shortstop for All-NAC Team



Mike Eifel logged a career-high 66 strikeouts in 2008, moving into second on the Stars all-time career strikeout list.

May 15, 2008

River Forest, IL - The Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) announced the 2008 All-Conference team for baseball on Tuesday with Dominican University's Mike Eifel (Midlothian, IL) landing on the All-NAC First Team and Nate Mercado (Chicago, IL) receiving honorable mention for the team.

Eifel, a 6'4 right-hand pitcher, ranked in the top three in the conference in earned run average, opponent batting average, batters struck out and batters struck out looking. His career-high 66 strikeouts was the best in the conference as was his 10.42 strikeouts per nine innings. Opposing hitters managed just a .217 average against the Stars' intimidating right-hander, best in the conference, and that statistic dropped to a meager .200 in conference games. On the year, Eifel posted a 4-4 record with a 2.93 ERA, third best in the conference. Against conference teams, Eifel improved his ERA to 2.37 but received three runs or fewer from his teammates in all but two of his conference starts and surrendering a total of 18 unearned runs in six starts.

"Mike deserves the recognition that he is getting," said Head Coach Terry Casey. "He has been one of the most dominating pitchers in the conference for each of the last three seasons, pitching against some of the top offenses in the region in Rockford, Concordia Chicago and Aurora to name a few."

Nate Mercado earned All-NAC Honorable Mention as he posted a team-high .363 batting average in 2008.
Mercado, a 5'11 shortstop, was the Stars' leading hitter on the season, posting a .363 batting average in 34 games last season. In the Stars' 22 conference games, Mercado's average jumped to .389, including hitting over .400 in the Stars' final ten NAC contests of the season. On the year, Mercado's 37 hits in conference play ranked second amongst all NAC hitters and just one off the conference lead.

A 2005 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Region selection, Mercado posted a team-high 60 total bases in the Stars' leadoff spot in the order in 2008. He had 49 hits on the season with a .444 slugging percentage and .428 on-base percentage. In the field, Mercado logged a .952 fielding percentage in 168 total chances with a team-high 102 assists.

On the year, Dominican posted a 17-19 overall record with a 10-12 record in NAC play. The Stars finished the season winners of 10 of their final 15 ball games.