Merrill Eligibility Tied to Hardship

Tajah Merrill, a Channel Islands High pitcher who transferred from Camarillo in midseason, has been granted unrestricted eligibility by the Southern Section based on hardship.

Merrill left Camarillo in April because of personal reasons, enrolled at Channel Islands two days later and pitched for the Raiders on his first day at his new school. The Southern Section had suspended his eligibility but he regained it after his family moved into the Channel Islands attendance area.

Still, he filed a hardship claim because he wanted to show that the move was made for reasons other than athletics. At a meeting Wednesday at Camarillo, the Merrills won that concession.

The Merrills put their home up for sale when they moved to Channel Islands but returned to Camarillo last weekend. Tajah Merrill, a junior left-hander who had a combined 4-2 record with one save, is enrolled at Channel Islands and will attend that school next fall, according to his father, Tom Merrill.