Mercer’s Lewis a semifinalist for Dick Howser Trophy

Mercer standout Kyle Lewis was selected as a semifinalist for the 2016 Dick Howser Trophy, presented by Easton Foundations, as announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

The award, given to the top player in collegiate baseball, is based on two rounds of national voting.

Lewis, a consensus a preseason All-American, is the first player in program history to be selected as a semifinalist. He is first semifinalist from the Southern Conference since 2013 and joins Georgia Tech’s Connor Justus as the only individuals from a team in Georgia to be recognized.

The finalists will be announced on June 9, with the winner being unveiled on MLB Network on June 17 during the College World Series festivities in Omaha.

The Snellville native is trying to become just the third player in Southern Conference history to win the conference's Triple Crown, as he tops the conference with a .411 batting average while also ranking among the league leaders with 17 home runs and 64 RBI.

Lewis put together one of the longest on-base streaks in the nation this season, reaching safely in 48 straight games. He set Mercer’s single-season record for walks in Friday’s title-clinching win over UNC Greensboro, drawing three free passes to push his nation-leading total to 61 on the year.

Telegraph Staff

This story was originally published May 21, 2016 at 9:28 PM with the headline "Mercer’s Lewis a semifinalist for Dick Howser Trophy."