Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell

NEWARK, Del. - The University of Delaware baseball team honored its eight senior members and awarded six players with annual accolades at this year’s baseball picnic that was held following the Blue Hens’ regular season finale against Virginia Commonwealth on Saturday afternoon.

During the outdoor event, Delaware honored seniors Kyle Davis, Bill Merkler, Brad Miller, Chris Nehl, Jared Olson, Danny Overcash, Ryan Reed, and Scott Shockley for their contributions to the program throughout their respective careers. The team also held its annual awards ceremony to acknowledge the top contributors to the squad during the 2009 campaign.

Junior third baseman Carlos Alonso (top right) garnered the team’s highest honor, taking home the Pape Lukk Most Valuable Player Award. Junior right-hander Brian Rorick (middle right) was named the Pitcher of the Year, and Bill Merkler (bottom right) was selected as the Offensive Player of the Year.

Kyle Davis and Ryan Reed shared the team’s Defensive Player of the Year honor, while Rich O’Donald was named the Rookie of the Year. Scott Shockley rounded out the award-winners, earning the Perry E. Burkett Award for inspiration, determination, and dedication to the game of baseball.

Alonso put together one of the most impressive regular season campaigns in program history during his first year with the team. He currently leads the Hens with a .387 batting average, 19 doubles, and 12 stolen bases. Delaware’s lead-off hitter throughout the season, he also stands fourth in the conference with a .489 on-base percentage and eighth with 56 runs scored.

A starter in all 45 contests, he reached base safely in every game during the regular season and posted a hit in 42. He enters the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament riding a 10-game hitting streak.

Rorick has anchored the Blue Hens’ weekend rotation all year long. He currently leads the CAA with 83.0 innings pitched and has averaged nearly seven innings during his 12 starts this season. One of the top power pitchers in the conference, he also stands second in the league with 88 strikeouts.

Rorick also is tied for the league lead with five pick-offs and stands at the top of the conference with 41 strikeouts looking. Overall, he has posted a 4-3 record with a 4.99 ERA and three complete games.

Merkler was named the Offensive Player of the Year after dominating during his senior campaign. He currently has a .357 batting average with 15 home runs and 51 RBI. He ranks sixth in the CAA in home runs and ninth with a .643 slugging percentage.

One of the top power hitters in program history, he earned CAA Player of the Week honors after launching a pair of grand slams during a doubleheader against Manhattan on March 7. Overall, Merkler has posted 35 home runs in his career, which is tied for fourth on the program’s all-time list.

Davis, who also earned the Defensive Player of the Year Award last season, has been a stabilizing force in the middle of the infield for the Blue Hens. As a senior, he has started all 45 games at shortstop. He currently leads the team and ranks 15th in the conference with 119 assists.

During the regular season, Davis has also helped flip 25 double plays. At the plate, he has posted a .258 batting average with 29 runs scored and 27 RBI.

Reed has solidified his spot as one of the program’s all-time best catchers after piecing together an excellent senior season. A workhorse behind the plate, he has been the team’s starting backstop in 38 of Delaware’s 45 games. During that time, he has gunned down 16 attempted base stealers and picked off four other runners.

At the plate, he currently ranks second on the team with a .361 batting average and third with a .580 slugging percentage. Reed has also clubbed nine home runs, scored 39 times, and posted 37 RBI during the regular season.

Shockley has been a consummate leader and captain throughout his stay in Newark. A co-captain this season, he has appeared in 44 games with 42 starts as a senior outfielder. He ranks third on the team with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, and 39 RBI, while he stands sixth with a .558 slugging percentage.

During his tenure at Delaware, Shockley has scored 122 runs and knocked in 100 RBI. He is a career .282 hitter with 40 doubles and 17 home runs.

O’Donald burst onto the scene in his freshman campaign to help anchor the Blue Hens’ conference rotation. He leads all Delaware starters and ranks eighth in the CAA with a 4.18 ERA, while his .242 batting-average-against is the lowest on the team and the third best in the league.

A two-time CAA Rookie of the Week selection, he has posted a 5-3 record during the year. The standout right-hander also has tossed three complete games, which is tied for second in the conference. On April 12, he became the first Blue Hen to fire a nine-inning shutout in eight years after blanking the Hofstra Pride.

Delaware will return to action on Wednesday when the squad battles George Mason during the first day of the CAA Tournament. Game time is set for 12 noon.