GREENVILLE, S.C. - Conference Carolinas released its 2023 baseball awards, as selected by the league's head coaches, on Tuesday, May 2.

Dale Francis, Jr. of Erskine was selected as Player of the Year, while Ashby Smith, Christian Rivera, and Johnny Hummel were all selected to the First Team. Armando Becerra and Tariq Bacon were named to the Second Team.
 
A sophomore first baseman from Fort Pierce, Florida, Francis, Jr. finished the regular season leading the league in average (.521), on-base percentage (.600) and hits (50) in league contests. He was also third in the conference in RBIs with 34 and home runs with 10. He is the fourth player from Erskine to win the honor and first since Bryan Fogle won back-to-back honors in 2009 and 2010.
 
A native of Gaffney, S.C., Smith led the Fleet in hits (74), doubles (24), RBIs (63), and total bases (131). The senior closed the season strong, posting a .404 average, which ranked second on the team. He came up clutch all season for Erskine, including a remarkable 15-RBI week a few weeks ago, earning him NCBWA Division II Southeast Region Player of the Week.
 
A junior from Winter Haven, Florida, Rivera led the Fleet with 16 home runs and also totaled a team-leading 28 walks. He slashed an impressive .350/.477/.732 this season and was named the conference's player of the week in late March after homering in all three games in a series against Chowan.
 
A senior from Matthews, North Carolina, Hummel led the Fleet pitching staff in ERA (1.52), saves (7), and batting average against (.136). Hummel recorded an impressive 56 strikeouts in just 29.2 innings on the mound this season and is currently tied for third in the Erskine program in career saves.
 
A junior from Miami, Florida, Becerra led the Fleet in runs (69) and stolen bases (19) as a catalyst atop the Erskine lineup. He posted a .360 average with 27 extra-base hits and an impressive 34 RBIs in the leadoff spot. This is the second consecutive season Becerra has earned a spot on the second team.
 
A senior from Fort Pierce, Florida, Bacon posted a .342 average with 23 extra-base hits and 41 RBIs, also earning a spot on the second team for the second consecutive year. Bacon reached double figures in steals and tallied a pair of outfield assists, putting together a complete, five-tool season in 2023.
 
Erskine begins its Conference Carolinas Tournament campaign on Wednesday in the play-in round against No. 6 seed Francis Marion at 5 p.m. at CaroMont Health Park in Gastonia, N.C.

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