William Carey University inducted Carl Merritt into its Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at the school's annual induction ceremony held at Southern Oaks House & Gardens in Hattiesburg.
Carl Merritt, a native of Ohio, suited up for the Carey baseball team in 1975 for former coach John Stephenson. He helped anchor a Crusader pitching staff that led to 168 wins from 1975-78, which included a school-record 53 victories in 1978. That season, Carey won 28 straight games, captured the Southern States Athletic Conference title, and advanced to the NAIA World Series.