Coach’s Take: Returns to be the Phoenix’s number one catcher … Is the team’s top returning power threat … Voted as a team captain by his teammates … Led the charge to raise funds for earthquake victims in Haiti with the “Pinch Hit for Haiti” drive among teams across the nation … Was a third-team preseason All-America pick by Ping!Baseball.
2009: Earned a spot on the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association’s All-State Team … Finished second on the team with 18 home runs and led the squad with 19 doubles … Drew 45 walks, tying for the team-high … Hit .344 with 67 runs scored and three triples … Posted 22 multi-hit outings … Went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in game two of a doubleheader at then-No. 20 Clemson … Named SoCon Player of the Week following a five-game week in which he hit .474 with nine RBI, two triples, three homers, two steals and nine runs scored … Was a career-best 4-for-5 with two home runs (the third multi-homer game of his career), three runs scored and four RBI in a victory over in-state rival UNC Wilmington … Belted his first career grand slam to lift Elon to a 10-8 win over then-No. 21 East Carolina … Helped lead Elon to a 10-8 decision over Furman in the SoCon Tournament by going 2-for-5 with a double, home run and five RBI.
2008: Batted .308 with five homers and 23 RBI in 44 games … Drove in four runs and scored twice in a 2-for-5 outing in a win at SoCon foe Davidson … Went 3-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI in an NCAA Regional game against UNC Wilmington … Drove home two runs and scored twice while going 1-for-3 in an NCAA Regional victory over Mount St. Mary’s.
2007: Appeared in 44 games, earning 26 starts, as a true freshman … Hit .291 with 22 runs scored, five homers and 25 RBI … Recorded his first career hit in the season-opener against Virginia … Blasted his first career homer vs. High Point … Posted his first career two-home run game, going 2-for-5 with a career-best four runs scored and a career-high six RBI in Elon’s victory over then-#24 College of Charleston … Scored twice, drove in two and hit a home run in Elon’s win at then-No. 17 Clemson.
Prep: Led the state in runners caught stealing (14-of-19) as a junior … Named all-conference, all-county, all-group and all-area … Helped lead North Hunterdon to two state sectional semi-final appearances and two Hunterdon-Warren County finals … Helped the Flemington Diamondjacks to capture the Atlantic Coast Elite 18U Wood Bat League title.
Personal: Michael David Melillo is the son of Gerry and Debbie Melillo … Born on December 2, 1987 … Majoring in business administration.
