2009: An ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection ... saw action in 54 games, starting 52 ... hit .269 on the year with seven homers and 38 RBIs ... posted 14 multi-hit games ... went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs against Canisius (2/27) ... went 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs against Eastern Michigan (3/15) ... turned in back-to-back three-hit games, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs against North Dakota State (4/12) and 3-for-5 against IPFW (4/17) ... also belted two doubles in the IPFW game ... hit a walkoff homer in a 1-0 win over Eastern Michigan (5/5) ... 4-for-5 against Central Michigan with two doubles and two RBIs (5/11) ... went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in his final game against Centenary (5/16).
2008: Played in 43 games, drawing the start in 42 ... hit .325 with three homers and 25 RBI ... an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team selection ... had 17 multi-hit games ... went 3-for-5 against Tennessee Tech (3/1) ... turned in a stellar effort in OU's series with George Washington(5/8-9), going 7-for-14 with four doubles ... 2-for-3 performance at Tulane (3/14) ... went 2-for-4 with a homer against South Dakota State (4/11) ... duplicated that performance against Centenary (4/18) ... went 3-for-6 with two doubles against Southern Utah (5/16).
2007: Played in 38 games, starting 22 ... hit .287 with three homers and 20 RBI ... belted six doubles on the season ... posted eight multi-hit games ... belted a two-run double against Xavier (2/28) ... had a pinch-hit home run against Ohio (3/18) ... smacked a two-run homer against Rochester College (4/1) ... drove in a season-best three runs against Southern Utah (4/27) ... had a season-high three hits in a 3-for-4 performance against Oral Roberts (5/6) ...
2006: Played in 35 games in his first season at Oakland ... started 20 times ... drove in a run with his first hit as a Golden Grizzly at Dayton (3/12) ... perfect 4-for-4 day at Cincinnati (3/18) with a pair of walks, a run scored and an RBI ... picked up hits and scored in each game of the series at Michigan (3/24-26) ... two-run double and a pair of walks at Valparaiso (4/23) ... doubled and scored twice vs. Wayne State (5/6) ... pair of hits against Bowling Green (5/9).
Prior to Oakland: Earned a medical redshirt in 2005 at Garden City Community College.
High School: At Bay City Central High School, he was a three-year letterman helping the Wolves to a 31-7 record in his final season and a fourth place ranking in the state ... named Academic All-State in 2003 and '04, second team all-conference both years as well as all-district during his junior and senior seasons ... captained the team as a senior and additionally played hockey and football for Bay City, captaining the hockey team his final two seasons ... just as smart as he is talented, Merkle finished eighth in his graduating class and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Born Rob Merkle on December 9, 1985 in Bay City, Michigan ... parents are Tom and Kelly Merkle ... his father played football and baseball at Saginaw Valley State from 1977-80 and was a 17th round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 1980, playing in their farm system for two years ... favorite TV show is Family Guy ... if he could be a cartoon character he would be Stewie Griffin.
