Most Division I athletes come into college with a high school resume saturated with all-state and all-conference honors.

In Northern Iowa's 2008 baseball media guide, Chris Lopez's prep stint is summarized in five words: "Did not play varsity baseball."

After enduring an injury in a car accident his sophomore season and playing junior varsity as a junior, the West Covina, Calif., native was cut from the team as a senior.

"I got cut because I didn't run my mile under 7 minutes," Lopez admitted. "I ran my mile in 7:09."

Several players on the team protested the ruling, but the coaching staff didn't budge. Lopez transferred, but he wasn't cleared to play by the California Interscholastic Federation.

Despite that, Lopez refused to hang up the cleats and toss the glove aside. He found a summer league team and worked tirelessly to pursue his Division I dream.

"I'm not one to give up too easily," he said. "When someone tells me I can't do something, I try and prove them wrong."

Lopez spent the 2004 and '05 seasons playing for East Los Angeles Community College. The outfielder blasted 28 home runs and drove in 93 runs over two seasons. As a sophomore, he was named the South Coast Conference MVP.

"I knew I could play the game, and I didn't let anybody tell me I couldn't," Lopez said. "I've been through a lot of hard times, but baseball is the one thing that always got me through it and kept everything else off my mind."

UNI coach Rick Heller saw Lopez play at East Los Angeles, but figured he had no chance in landing the juco all-American.

"He was just going crazy, hitting homer after homer," Heller said. "I'm like, 'I have no chance at that kid.'"

Lopez transferred to perennial power Long Beach State, but his success dwindled. He broke his hand in 2006 and was granted a medical redshirt. Last year, the 6-foot-3 and 245-pounder played in just five games.

At that point, he was eager for a new environment.

"I had to leave for my own good to get some playing time," Lopez said.

Current Panthers Guido Fonseca and Eddie Almonte were teammates of Lopez's at East Los Angeles. The two put in a good word for him.

While Lopez was excited about an opportunity to play Division I baseball again, he was apprehensive about moving from California to the Midwest. It was also going to be a difficult financial move for his family.

"He thought seriously about staying out there and going to a Division II school and staying close to home," Heller said. "After a lot of talk and a lot of work, we convinced him to give it a shot out here."

So far, it has been a perfect match for both sides.

UNI's clean-up hitter enters this weekend's series against Creighton hitting .326 with nine home runs (second in the Missouri Valley Conference), 35 RBIs and 15 doubles.

The addition of Lopez has made it hard for teams to pitch around No. 3 hitter Brandon Douglas (.407 average) and No. 5 hitter Brett Featherston (.337, seven home runs).

"I felt like (Chris) was the missing link," Heller said. "We felt like if we put one more power threat into this lineup, that is already a strong lineup, it would give us another dimension and take us over the top offensively."

Like former Panthers Ryan Brunner and Adam Boeve, Lopez is built to hit the long ball.

"When he came out in our fall games and hit three homers one game and two in another, we knew right away that this kid is for real," Douglas said. "He's one of those guys that can just change a game like that."

Lopez, who grew up as a dominating pitcher, proved as much Wednesday with a three-run homer in the seventh inning against Minnesota to tie the game. The fifth-year senior has homered in three straight games and driven in nine during that span.

"He's a legitimate threat to go deep every time," Heller said. "He can mis-hit balls out of the park."

That said, Douglas believes his influence in the clubhouse has been just as beneficial for the 21-10 Panthers.

"If you're doing something wrong, he's not afraid to tell you straight out," Douglas said. "That's what a leader does. I'd have to say he's one of our leaders."

Even if it's just for a season, Lopez believes coming to UNI has helped him mature.

"Out there, I could always go home, always call dad," he said. "Now, I have to be a man and take care of myself. It's all on me now. I'm in control of everything.

"I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm playing baseball and going to school. I'm just lucky enough to be a part of this."

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com

GAME TRACKER

Creighton (24-11, 7-5 MVC) at Northern Iowa (21-10, 8-1)

Games: Today at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m.

Where: Waterloo (Riverfront Stadium)

Radio: KQMG (95.3-FM)

Last time out: Creighton dropped an 8-3 decision to Iowa on Wednesday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. UNI, which has won seven straight, rallied from a 5-0 deficit to upend Minnesota, 9-8, at Riverfront.

Series: Creighton leads 45-26, including a three-game series sweep last year in Omaha, Neb.

Probable pitching matchups (CU listed first): Today (Jeremy Hauer, 6-1, 3.09 ERA vs. Guido Fonseca, 7-0, 4.32); Saturday (Zak Moore, 4-3, 6.03 vs. Taylor Sinclair, 4-1, 4.58); Sunday (Mike Nihsen, 2-0, 2.45 vs. Nick Kirk, 3-4, 3.76).

Series notes: Creighton is the first Missouri Valley Conference opponent UNI has faced with a winning record. The Bluejays have the league's best ERA in conference games at 3.32, while the Panthers possess the top hitting club with a .331 average … Creighton leads the nation with 55 sacrifice bunts after setting a school record with 93 last year. The Bluejays are averaging just more than three runs per game in their last eight outings. First baseman Darin Ruf is hitting a team-best .341 with five homers and 34 RBIs, while Steve Winkelmann is batting .322 with six homers and 38 RBIs … The 'Jays' all-conference reliever, Pat Venditte, who has appeared in 22 games, has struck out a league-high 65 hitters … UNI's Brandon Douglas enters the weekend with a season-long 13-game hitting streak and has hit safely in all nine MVC games … Fonseca is one of just six pitchers in Division I to hold a 7-0 record or better.

Quoting UNI coach Rick Heller:

"(Creighton) is very well-coached and very well-prepared. It's very rare for them to beat themselves. The years where we've defended the bunt and the first and thirds and made sure we kept runners from taking extra bases, we've had success. Last year, we didn't, and we got swept.

"You want to get on them early because Venditte is tough in that bullpen. They'll use him a lot.

"If our pitching goes out and competes like they can, I like our chances. They should be very good baseball games."

Around the Valley this weekend: Southern Illinois (3-6) at Wichita State (7-2); Indiana State (4-5) at Evansville (1-11); Missouri State (8-4) at Bradley (7-5); Chicago State at Illinois State.

In the hole: UNI continues its homestand against Clarke College at 6 p.m. Tuesday before hosting Iowa at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

- by Matt Coss, Courier Sports Writer