Conference Carolinas Release
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University baseball season was cut short due to the national pandemic of COVID-19. Conference Carolinas announced their all-conference team, comprised of seniors from each member school as the Tornado had 11 seniors named to the team.
Hunter Barbour was off to a good start for the Tornado as he ranked fourth in Conference Carolinas with 26 runs batted in. On the season, the Union Hall, Va., native posted seven doubles and three home runs while hitting .358 and scoring 18 runs. In his career, Barbour is a .309 hitter as he accounted for 29 doubles and 10 home runs. He also drove in 76 runs and scored 63 runs.
Erik Calderon Jr. was becoming a force at the back end of the Tornado bullpen as his three saves ranked third in the league. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Calderon made nine appearances this season, tossing eight innings. Calderon was selected Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Week after earning two of saves on the same day in a doubleheader sweep of Salem University. In his two years on campus, Calderon threw 35 and two-thirds innings and owned an ERA of 7.07 with three saves.
David Carnicella was having his most productive season, hitting .258 on the season with three doubles and one home run. The Loxahatchee, Fla., native gave King a 2-1 win over Emmanuel College in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded walk-off single to left center. In his two-year career, Carnicella is a .213 hitter, accounting for five doubles and two home runs while driving in 21 and scoring 25 runs.
Nick Carroll, a native of Christiansburg, Va., was coming back from an injury this season. In his career, Carroll posted three hits, including one home run while playing in 16 games.
Trader Flora made 12 appearances in 2020, posting three hits, including one home run and one double. In his three years on campus, the Hampstead, N.C., native posted a .217 batting average while ripping eight doubles and eight home runs. He also drove in 22 and scored 19 runs.
Keanu Guzman joined the Tornado prior to the 2020 season from Pasco-Hernando State College. The Miramar, Fla., native made six appearances this season, tossing 15 and two-thirds innings. In that time he struck out 19 and had an ERA of 4.60.
Ethan Jenkins made one appearance this season, coming at Lincoln Memorial University. The Piney Flats, Tenn., native made 10 appearances in his four years on campus. He posted a record of 1-1 while striking out 15 with an ERA of 6.50.
Austin Meyer was off to a solid start to the season, hitting .273 with four doubles, two triples and three home runs. On the season, the Stafford, Va., native posted a batting average of .273 while driving in 18 and scoring 20 runs. In his four years on campus, Meyer is a .290 hitter with 20 doubles, two triples and 10 home runs. He drove in 56 and scored 65 runs.
Marquis Orozco joined the Tornado prior to this season following a stint at the University of the Cumberlands. The Orlando, Fla., battled an injury early in the season and recorded eight hits, four doubles in 13 games. Orozco also drove in three and scored six runs while hitting .296 on the season.
Braden Rassi made two appearances out of the bullpen for the Tornado, tossing one inning on the season. In his two years wearing the scarlet and navy, the Morton, Ill., native made 14 appearances, including one start. Rassi struck out 11 batters in 10 and two-thirds career innings.
Cesar Tavarez hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., and appeared in nine career games, including three games this season. A season ago, Tavarez posted two hits and scored one run.
