Five Trojans named Academic All-District

MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive baseball program featured five players on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, as seniors Jack Casbarro, Erik Johnson, Joshua Jones, Dawson Gause and Gordon Pihl garnered the honor.

The 2023 Academic All-District Baseball Teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes baseball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.

With this honor, all five individuals are eligible for consideration on the CSC Academic All-American Team that will be announced on Wednesday, June 7.

Casbarro earned NCBWA second-team all-region honors while also being named to All-Conference Carolinas first-team as a utility player. A native of Mount Olive, he just concluded his five-year career with the Trojans after playing in the Southeast Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Casbarro competed in all 55 games this season and finished with a .319 batting average behind 21 multi-hit performances. He ranks third in the Conference Carolinas with 72 runs scored and 31 stolen bases while ranking fourth with 73 hits. Casbarro recently graduated with his master’s degree in business administration while maintaining a 3.76 grade-point-average.

A native of Rush, N.Y., Johnson was voted to the All-Conference Carolinas First-Team as a starting pitcher following an excellent year on the mound. In 13 starts, he posted a 5-2 record over 67 innings pitched with 70 strikeouts and 19 walks issued. Johnson ranks third in the conference with a 1.16 WHIP and sixth with 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He holds a 3.64 GPA while majoring in health and physical education.

Jones, from Charlotte Court House, Va., competed in all 55 games this season at shortstop and tallied 55 hits with four homers, 14 doubles, 42 RBI, and 40 runs scored while batting in six different positions in the lineup. He was also effective on the base paths, totaling 12 stolen bases on 13 attempts this year. Jones is considered one of the top defensive shortstops in the conference and tallied 139 assists while being involved in 22 double plays. He recently graduated with a degree in sport management while boasting a 3.74 GPA.

A starting pitcher from Lake Wylie, S.C., Gause registered a 5-2 record on the mound over 61 1/3 innings pitched. In 15 appearances with 12 starts, he totaled 59 strikeouts and 27 walks while recording a 1.39 WHIP. Gause had a stellar finish to the season after delivering consecutive wins in relief in the conference and NCAA Tournament. He holds a 3.91 GPA while majoring in sport management.

Pihl, from Rockingham, appeared in 36 games with 26 starts while posting a .269 batting average with three homers, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored. He tallied five multi-hit performances while primarily serving as a designated hitter or at first base. Pihl maintains a 3.74 GPA while pursuing a degree in sport management.

To qualify for the academic all-district honors, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and in athletic eligibility, maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher and have played at least 50 percent of the team’s games. Additionally, each institution is capped at five nominees for baseball.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics