May 10, 2007

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara Baseball designated hitter Carl Bacon was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII First Team Thursday for his exemplary performance not only on the field, but in the classroom as well. Bacon, a senior from Santa Cruz, sports a 3.24 cumulative grade-point average while majoring in civil engineering in the classroom. On the field, he is batting a career-high .323 with 60 hits, 10 doubles, and 28 runs batted in, good for second on the team.

"Carl's versatility not only on the baseball field, but also in his studies, is something that we are very proud of here at Santa Clara," said head coach Mark O'Brien. "Carl has done a fine job stepping up into a leadership role for us in many ways this season, and I am pleased to see him being recognized for his achievements."

In his first year as a full-time starter at SCU, Bacon has made the most of his opportunity in the Bronco lineup. Having started 49 of SCU's 50 games this season, he is third on the team with 60 hits and fourth with a .323 average. Bacon has also posted 18 multi-hit games, including six three-hit performances, four of which helped key the Broncos to wins over such programs as Hawaii, Cal Poly, Fresno State, and Stanford.

On top of his hitting credentials, Bacon has also served the Broncos well on the defensive end. When freshman catcher Tommy Medica missed all or parts of 14 games during February and March due to injury, Bacon assumed the role behind the plate, working well with SCU's young pitching staff on the defensive side while continuing to provide key hits on offense.