Nothing like a little summer talk to warm you up on a winter day.
The Coastal Plain League’s Fayetteville Swampdogs have announced their first signings of the season. This college summer league team based in North Carolina has been known for taking in Illini players during the summer and 2010 will be no different. The Swampdogs have signed four University of Illinois ballplayers.
Of the four, Lee Zerrusen will be the only “veteran”. The others three are first-timers to the Coastal Plain League. Last year, Zerrusen earned 15 saves and struck out 37 batters in 32 innings for the ‘Dogs.
Zerrusen will bring three Illini freshman with him in the summer. P/OF Matt Milroy, 3B Brandon Hohl and OF Christian Cummins were all signed by Fayetteville.
The U of I has had a history of sending players down Fayetteville’s way for as long as I’ve been following them. The Swampdogs article touches on this briefly:
Darrell Handelsman and University of Illinois Associate Head Coach Eric Snider first met when they faced each other on the field. Off the field they earned each other’s respect for developing talent and young men. Since Snider’s move to Illinois, he has sent Handelsman players.
The Coastal Plain League is in its 14th season.