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Former Black Knight signs with UGA!
Cash, Shields And Welton Are Latest To Join Georgia Baseball Recruiting Class
by UGA Sports Communications
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ATHENS, Ga. --- Pitchers Ralston Cash and Jeff Shields
along with outfielder Conor Welton are the latest additions to
Georgia’s recruiting class, Bulldog baseball coach David Perno
announced Tuesday.
Cash, a 6-3, 205-pound right-hander, is the
son of Ralph and Sue Cash of Cornelia, Ga. He posted a 9-0 record with
a 0.97 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 57.2 innings for the Lakeview Academy
Lions and coach Deuce Roark. Cash was named the 2009 Baseball Player of
the Year by the Gainesville Times along with first team All-Area and
Region 8-A Pitcher of the Year. Also he batted .466 with nine home runs
and 48 RBI as the cleanup hitter last season for the Lions who went
26-3. As a sophomore, he registered a 6-1 mark with a 4.70 ERA and hit
.511-11-44. In summer action, he has won national championships with
the highly successful East Cobb Astros and Braves.
“It’s all about family, and UGA offers a coaching staff that I feel is like a family, and I bleed red and black,” said Cash.
Shields,
a 6-3, 207-pound right-hander, is the son of Cliff and Susan Shields of
Lawrenceville, Ga. Currently, he is a sophomore at Chattahoochee Valley
(Ala.) Community College after a standout prep career at Central
Gwinnett. He began last season as a pitcher/shortstop for the Pirates
and coach Adam Thomas. He went 2-1 with five saves and a 5.50 ERA in 18
innings pitched and batted .306-3-29 in 46 games overall. He helped the
Pirates to a 39-19 record. This past summer, he focused on pitching,
playing for the Lima Locos in the Great Lakes League (GLL). He made
eight starts for the Locos, going 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA with 40
strikeouts and 16 walks in 39 innings and Baseball America listed him
as the sixth best prospect in the GLL.
“Ralston and Jeff are two
power right-handers who will play a huge role for us next year,” said
Perno. “They are impact arms who project as starters but have potential
to be closers too. Both guys are likely to be drafted.”
Welton,
a 6-0, 190-pound left-handed hitter, is the son of Chris and Michele
Welton of Atlanta. A Dean’s list student and two-sport standout at the
Wesleyan School, Welton is the starting quarterback for the defending
state champion Wolves football team and outfielder for the two-time
state champion baseball squad. He earned All-City, All-County, and
Region Player of the Year honors in 2009 after batting .404 with 10
home runs, 27 RBI and 21 stolen bases for Michael Shaheen’s squad that
went 28-9. This season on the gridiron, Welton has completed 80-of-110
passes for 1,288 yards with 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions
for coach Franklin Pridgen’s top-ranked Class A team. Up next, they
face Bowdon in the second round of the playoffs. Conor’s father, Chris,
was a three-year letterman for Vince Dooley’s Bulldogs including the
starting rover on the 1980 national championship team.
“Georgia
is one of the top baseball programs in the country, and my goal is to
win a national championship as my father did in football,” said Welton.
“Conor
is an excellent student and a talented left-handed hitter with his best
baseball days ahead of him,” said Perno. “He is a winner, leading his
football and baseball teams to multiple state titles.”
The
early national signing period continues through Nov. 18, and the
Bulldogs will announce the final members of their early recruiting
class later this week. |
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