University of Houston Athletics
Baseball's Michael Bourn Called up to Major Leagues
7/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Bourn is the fourth Cougar to compete in the Major Leagues in 2006, joining pitcher Jesse Crain (Minnesota Twins), catcher Chris Snyder (Arizona Diamondbacks) and pitcher Woody Williams (San Diego Padres).
He also became the fourth player from the 2002 Cougar squad to compete in the Major Leagues, joining Crain, Snyder and reliever Ryan Wagner (Cincinnati Reds/Washington Nationals).
Bourn arrived at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia early enough Sunday evening to compete in the nightcap of a split doubleheader against the Florida Marlins. He entered his first Major League game in the top of the eighth inning, replacing pitcher Rick White in the No. 9 spot but playing right field.
In the bottom half of the inning, Bourn flied out to right field following a 1-1 pitch from reliever Joe Borowski. However, the Phillies would go on to a 9-2 win over the Marlins to sweep the day's twinbill.
Bourn, who began the season at Double-A Reading and was promoted to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre in early July, lettered at UH from 2001-03 after competing at Nimitz High. The Humble, Texas, native ranks second in UH single-season and career history with 35 stolen bases as a true freshman in 2001 and 90 thefts total, respectively.
He was named to the 2003 NCAA College Station Regional All-Tournament Team after helping lead the Cougars in a ninth-inning comeback against host Texas A&M. With UH trailing by two runs with a runner on second base, Bourn blasted a triple off the center-field wall at Olsen Field to pull the Cougars to within a run and then scored the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly.
UH would go on to win the game 7-6 in 10 innings and advanced to the 2003 NCAA Houston Super Regional, the Cougars third Super Regional appearance in a four-year stretch.
