Georgia outfielders Lyle Allen and Zach Cone are enjoying a fine summer in the prestigious Cape Cod League as numerous Bulldogs are in action in wood bat leagues around the country.

Recently, Allen was named the Cape Cod Player of the Week after posting a .636 batting average over a five-game span for the Brewster (Mass.) Whitecaps. One of his best games this summer came in a 9-8 win over Chatham when he went 2-for-2 with three walks, a home run and two RBI. Overall, Allen is hitting .240 with a pair of home runs, 8 RBI and 13 walks.

Cone is one of only nine players in the league hitting above .300. In 16 games, Cone is batting .302 with a home run, six RBI and five stolen bases for the Cotuit (Mass.) Kettleers. Bulldog teammates Justin Grimm and Jeff Walters are playing for Cotuit too. Grimm is 0-2 with a 3.32 ERA in four starts while Walters recently arrived and has made one relief appearance. Bulldog right-hander Cecil Tanner is 0-0 with a 3.75 ERA in six appearances including one start for the Falmouth Commodores.

In the New England Collegiate Baseball League, Bulldogs Peter Verdin and Earl Daniels are playing for the Keene (N.H.) Swamp Bats while Chase Davidson is a member of the New Bedford (Mass.) Bay Sox. In 17 starts, Verdin is batting .284 with three home runs, eight RBI and five stolen bases while Daniels is 1-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 10 relief appearances. Verdin was part of an NECBL All-Star squad that faced the USA Baseball National Team in front of more than 1,200 fans on July 5 in Manchester, N.H. Team USA posted a 4-1 win as three pitchers combined on a two-hitter. Verdin registered the lone RBI for the All-Stars. Davidson began the summer with the Yarmouth Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League where he batted .222 in nine games. Recently, he left the Red Sox and joined the Bay Sox where he likely will see more playing time.

In the Great Lakes League, Bulldog pitcher Zach Laughlin is 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in five games including two starts for the Lima (Ohio) Locos. Laughlin ranks among the top 10 in the league in several categories including second in wins, fifth in opponents batting average and ninth in ERA. Georgia pitcher Evan Tieles is a member of the Albany Dutchmen in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. Tieles is 0-2 with a 3.32 ERA in five appearances including three starts.

Four former Bulldogs have begun their professional career. Georgia had a record 11 student-athletes selected in the Major League Baseball draft this past June. Pitcher Trevor Holder (Washington) is 0-0 with a 5.06 ERA for the Vermont Lake Monsters in the New York Penn League while right-hander Will Harvil (Arizona) is 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in six games as a member of the Yakima Bears of the Northwest League. Infielder Michael Demperio (Los Angeles) is batting .158-0-1 for the Angels in the Arizona League. Catcher Bryce Massanari (Colorado) has been assigned to the Casper Ghosts in the Pioneer League.

The Bulldogs on the 2009 squad yet to sign a contract include: Rich Poythress (Seattle, 2nd round), Dean Weaver (Washington, 7th round), Matt Cerione (Seattle, 13th round), Walters (Baltimore, 17th round), Alex McRee (Los Angeles, 26th round), Joey Lewis (Kansas City, 41st round) and Justin Earls (Pittsburgh, 47th round).

The deadline for players drafted to sign with their respective clubs is Aug. 17 (The usual Aug. 15 deadline was adjusted a couple of days so it does not fall on a Saturday). This marks the third straight year that Major League Baseball mandated a universal signing date. If a player does not sign, he goes back into the draft pool next year. Teams get extra picks the following year if they fail to sign draft picks from previous drafts.

- Georgia Sports Communications