Heather O’dell // Staff Writer
Irving Lopez, the starting shortstop for the Panthers, has hopes he and his team will make it to the World Series in Omaha this season.
“We have a really good chemistry this year as a team and coaching staff,” said Lopez. “I think we can really go far this year.”
Lopez grew up in Yuma, Arizona, and he attended Arizona Western College for first two years and transferred to FIU to continue his baseball career with the Panthers in division one.
“Playing D1 baseball has been my dream since I was 4 years old,” the shortstop said. “Without the support of my family, I wouldn’t be here today. I owe this all to them.”
Since becoming a fellow Panther his junior year, the now senior has accomplished many things with the FIU baseball team.
“My favorite thing about being a part of FIU is playing with players from all over the country,” Lopez said. “The team is very diverse, and it’s special to know that they aren’t just my teammates, but very close friends, too.”
Although Lopez is not from Miami, he looks forward to playing FIU’s longtime rival, University of Miami, each chance he gets.
“I may not be a local like most of my teammates, but UM is our cross-town rival,” Lopez said. “We are actually playing UM four times this year. I look forward to playing them each and every time.”
Last year, Lopez led the team with a .335 batting average with 66 hits and a .394 on-base percentage. Despite his impressive stats, the baseball player still believes there is room for improvement.
“Everyone is good individually,” said Lopez. “This season, we need to play better as a team and accomplish everything as one unit. With a mindset like that, we have no limits.”
About Post Author
