Baseball Adds Two More to Nationally-Ranked Recruiting Class
6/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 28, 2005
HOUSTON - The University of Houston Baseball team's 2005 nationally-ranked recruiting class became a little bigger with the signings of senior infielder Isa Garcia and junior outfielder Kyle Walton, head coach Rayner Noble announced Tuesday.
Garcia, a transfer from Sam Houston State, signed a Letter of Financial Aid, while Walton joins the team out of Saddleback Junior College after signing a National Letter of Intent. Both players will be eligible to begin competition with the Cougars in 2006.
Garcia has made immediate impacts at each of his last two schools. As a junior at Sam Houston State in 2005, the Houston native won the team's Triple Crown with a .339 batting average, 15 home runs and 52 RBIs to go with 10 doubles and a team-high-tying 10 stolen bases.
As a result, Garcia was honored as the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and was named to the league's Second Team at second base.
Prior to joining SHSU, Garcia played two years at Blinn Junior College for head coach Brian Roper. There, he helped lead the Buccaneers to a No. 3 ranking in the final National Junior College Athletics Association poll after winning the team's Triple Crown with a .439 batting average, 14 home runs and 64 RBIs.
Garcia also proved to be a terror for opponents on the basepaths with 26 stolen bases. Walton was an offensive force at Saddleback JC as a sophomore in 2005. A native of Yucaipa, Calif., he was named to the All-Orange Empire Conference First Team as a first baseman after batting .450 with 15 doubles, five home runs and 39 RBIs.
With impressive numbers like that, he also was named to the Southern California All-America Team by the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association.
Garcia and Walton join a recruiting class which recently was ranked No. 19 nationally by the staff of StudentSportsBaseball.com. They join freshmen Travis Cougot (INF, Richmond, Texas, Klein Collins HS); Luis Flores (C/RHP, Corpus Christi, Texas, Moody HS); Carlos Hereaud (INF, Venezuela, Elkins HS); Wes Musick (LHP, Lufkin, Texas, Hudson HS); Jimmy Raviele (LHP/OF, Spring, Texas, Foster HS) and Tommy Williams (OF/INF, Austin Texas, Austin HS) and junior Josh Stirneman (INF, Cuero, Texas, Blinn JC, Cuero HS).