University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Adds Two at Semester Break
1/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 24, 2008
HOUSTON - With the 2008 season beginning in less than a month, the University of Houston baseball team recently expanded with the addition of two newcomers at the semester break.
Junior catcher Alberto Lopez and redshirt freshman Barrett Bruce joined the program at the beginning of the spring semester.
A hard-throwing righthander, Bruce attended Navarro College during the 2007 season but sat out the entire campaign as a redshirt. As a senior at Flower Mound High, he helped lead the Jaguars to a 28-7 overall record and a berth in the Region I quarterfinals. He compiled eight saves with two wins and a 2.75 ERA.
Following his senior season in 2006, Bruce was taken in the 28th round of the first-year player draft by the New York Yankees.
Lopez competed at Odessa College during the last seasons for head coach Brian Blessie. As a sophomore in 2007, he was an All-Region and All-Conference honoree after batting .428 with 22 doubles. He earned All-Conference Honorable Mention Accolades as a freshman in 2006 after hitting .402.
As a prepster, Lopez competed at Midway High in Waco where he was a teammate of current Cougar infielder Ryan Lormand. He earned All-District 16-4A First-Team honors as a junior and senior in 2004-05 and was a member of the 2003 squad that won the state championship.
The Cougars begin the 2008 season with the start of practice on Feb. 1. On Feb. 2, the program will play host to an Alumni Game beginning at 1 p.m. with an intrasquad scrimmage featuring the 2008 Cougar team to follow.
Both the Alumni Game and the scrimmage are free and open to the public.
Following the game, fans are invited to a picnic at Cougar Field where they can eat and enjoy good times with current and former Cougar players.
While the game is free and open to the public, fans must pay in advance and make reservations to attend the picnic. Fans who wish to attend the picnic must call or email Brandi Clark (713-743-9456 or brclark2@central.uh.edu). Prices to attend the picnic are $15 for adults and $7.50 for children 12 and under.
The Cougars open their 2008 season on Feb. 22-24 when they play host to Pacific at Cougar Field. That series begins at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 22, continues at 3 p.m., Feb. 23 and wraps up at 1 p.m., Feb. 24.
