SOLEDAD — Notre Dame High softball infielder Julie Ann Lopez of Soledad signed a Letter of Intent last Thursday to attend Hiram College in Ohio and will receive a full-ride softball and academic scholarship.
Hiram is a Division III college for softball.
Lopez, the 17-year-old daughter of Cesar and April Lopez, is a lifelong Soledad resident. She officially signed the Letter of Intent at Notre Dame High School in Salinas, where she will be graduating in a few weeks.
“It was a long procedure and I didn’t give a verbal commitment until recently,” Lopez said. “I have visited the college two times with my mother and I really like the environment on the campus. I felt that a smaller college would be better for me as a student. I was worried about class size, and Hiram has the class size I am used to. There is a lot to do in Ohio and places to see and Hiram is just 30 miles from Cleveland.”
Lopez plays utility for Notre Dame and switches off from third base to second base. At Hiram, she will battle for a short at third base.
Currently, Lopez and her Spirits team are in second with a 10-2 record in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Gabilan Division behind Hollister. She leads the Spirits with 11 multi-hit games and has 27 hits, seven doubles and two home runs with 14 runs batted in.
