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Summer Baseball Diary #5 Features Lopez Report From Delaware (Ohio) Cows

Aug. 1, 2003

As the various summer leagues begin to wind down, three Summer Baseball Diaries still remain at www.und.com. Each will be from rising sophomores, with the first coming from infielder Greg Lopez as he checks in from the Delaware (Ohio) Cows.

Lopez is batting .268 (slightly below the team’s .296 average) in 30 games played, with 13 runs scored and four doubles. His classmate Brennan Grogan had to leave the team earlier this season due to injury but another member of the class of 2006, pitcher Ryan Doherty, has turned in an impressive summer and is a big hit with the Cows fans (see more below).

Notre Dame Baseball 2003 Summer Diary Schedule (dates are approximate)

July 12 – Javi Sanchez (Madison Mallards; Northwoods League)

July 18 – Tom Thornton (Newport Gulls; Northeast League)

July 26 – Matt Macri (Brewster Whitecaps; Cape Cod League)

July 30 – Matt Edwards (Waynesboro Generals; Shenandoah League)

Aug. 1 – Greg Lopez (Delaware Cows; Great Lakes League)

Aug. 5 – Craig Cooper (Hays Larks; Jayhawk League)

Aug. 10 – Matt Bransfield (Colorado Sox; Rocky Mountain League

ND Baseball 2003 Summer Diaries

(Entry #5, Greg Lopez; Aug. 1)

Hello Irish Fans. This is Greg Lopez, checking in from Delaware, Ohio, home of the Delaware Cows. I am playing in the Great Lakes League this summer with Ryan “Mini” Doherty. We both are having a great time and could not have asked for better situations.

I am lucky enough to be living at home this summer with my family, while Ryan is staying with a host family. Ryan’s host father is Tim Flahive, an alumnus of Notre Dame and a huge fan. I always can spot Mr. Flahive when he is at a game because he wears his navy blue and gold religiously.

As a team this summer, we are finishing the season with a winning record. In the last couple days, we have had remarkable come-from-behind wins. With this late winning streak, we have put ourselves into good position to win the conference tournament. We have improved both as a team and as individuals this summer.

It has been a fun experience meeting players from all over the country. I have become good friends with many players on the team, especially Josh Britnell, a pitcher from Birmingham Southern University. He has been a leader for the team this summer, always showing composure and confidence in tough situations.

Ryan Doherty, or “Mini” as everyone calls him here, has amazed even himself this summer with his play. Ryan has given only one earned run the whole summer and is improving with each and every outing (his stats include an o.46 ERA and three saves in eight outings/one start, with 28 Ks, 5 walks and 10 hits allowed in 20 innings). It is always fun to see the reactions Ryan receives from each new person he meets. I have enjoyed playing with Ryan not only this spring but this summer as well, because of the intensity and passion he brings with him each time he pitches.

I thought the summer was going to be a relaxing experience, but there is little idle time. We usually have to arrive at the field by 3:15 for a 6:00 start time. We are at the field until around 9:30, so most of the day is spent at the field. If I have free time, it is usually spent mowing lawns or working out.

This has been a productive summer for me and I am excited to get back to the Eck soon. I am looking forward to the challenges that we will face this fall and next season. I am glad to see that Javi, Tom, Matt and Matt all are having a fun time playing this summer.

Congratulations to coach O’Connor on the wonderful position that he has accepted at the University of Virginia – we will miss you. Also, congratulations to our trainer Mike Bean on the birth of his second child and to our new pitching coach, Terry Rooney.

I hope all of you Irish Fans are having a great summer, thank you for your support this year. For the rest of the guys on the team, I can’t wait for school to start to see you guys again. I am ready to get after it this fall.

Greg Lopez