BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb baseball standouts Jonathan Ahearn and Tyler Johnson each earned a spot on the All-Star Team in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League recently, and headline a hot list of summer performances for GWU players in 2008.

Ahearn (Hawaii Aliis) playing his first summer baseball since coming to Gardner-Webb, has been on fire beyond the west coast, batting .333 with 15 runs, four doubles a home run and five steals in 17 starts in the HCBL, a fast-rising league on the summer wooden bat circuit.

Johnson, a late addition to the Kamuela Paniolos' roster, earned his All-Star spot by hitting the ground running in Hawaii. The Mechanicsville, Va., native is batting .419 with 10 RBI and just three strikeouts in 10 games at second base. Johnson was the Bulldogs' starting shortstop during the late stages of 2008, and has continued to flash good leather during the summer.

GWU third baseman Justin Loyd has also flourished in Hawaii, batting .292 with 21 hits, two triples, three doubles and 11 RBI in 17 games for the Paniolos.

Nearly 5,000 miles east, the Bulldogs hottest pitcher this summer is playing for the Winchester (Va.) Royals of the historic Valley League. Righthander Devin Campbell has emerged as one of that leagues' top relief men, making a team-high 12 appearances out of the pen for Winchester.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder has forged a 1-1 record, a 1.71 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 21.0 innings of work – and has held opponents to a .231 batting average so far.

One of the top arms for GWU down the stretch in 2008 has also fared well this summer. Lefty Ryan Maxa is throwing for the Hornell Dodgers in the New York Collegiate League, and has gone 1-0 with an 0.95 ERA and 14 K in 11 appearances. Teams are batting just .229 against the Sarasota, Fla., native.

Two returning starters for GWU are having solid summers in the nearby Coastal Plain League, with Daniel Cooke batting .254 with 22 runs, 16 RBI and 10 steals for the Ashboro (N.C.) Copperheads in 32 games. Cooke also has four outfield assists defensively.
Ty Boyles has continued to shine after his strong sophomore effort at GWU, batting .263 with three home runs, 18 RBI and 20 runs scored in 30 starts for the Edenton (N.C.) Steamers of the CPL.

O.J. McFarland (Fairfax Nationals, Clark Griffith Baseball League) and Matt Sapp (Morganton Aggies, Southern Collegiate League) also are batting above .300 so far this summer with wooden bats. McFarland is at .317 with 10 RBI in 12 games for the Nationals, and Sapp is batting .333 for the Aggies.

Other Bulldog performances so far this summer are listed below:
Ben Campbell
Outer Banks Daredevils (CPL)
0-0, 2.0 innings of relief work

Kyle Paeplow
Asheville Redbirds (SCBL)
.200 batting average, 1-1 record in three pitching appearances

Aaron Miller
Morganton Aggies (SCBL)
.284 batting average, 11 RBI, 25 games played

Brett Stackhouse
Geneva Red Wings (NYCBL)
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 appearances

Kurt Fulginiti
Fairfax Nationals (Clark Griffith League)
13 hits, two HR, 10 RBI

Michael Lewis
Fairfax Nationals (Clark Griffith League)
1-1, 12 K in 16.0 innings

Aaron Haynes
Cherryville Post 100
6-1, three saves, .461 batting average at the plate.