By LUKE DEROUEN

Sports Editor

The Houston Astros selected Bulldog pitcher Brad Chedister in the 37th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on June 7, marking the second time in three years Houston has drafted Chedister.

The 23-year-old Fort Walton Beach, Fla., native passed on the Astros 10th round offer in 2002 while at Panola College in order to attend Louisiana Tech.

"I have wanted to play professional baseball for as long as I can remember," Chedister said.

"I am very thankful that Houston is giving me another shot. This is a dream come true."

Chedister appeared in 12 games for the Bulldogs in 2004, recording 17 strikeouts in 14 innings of work while posting an 8.35 ERA.

With 15 walks on the season, Chedister improved on a control problem that plagued his 2003 season.

"Houston knows that I have had control problems in the past," Chedister said. "They (Houston) told me not to worry about anything and just throw the ball as hard as I can, so that is what I am going to do."

The hard-throwing right-hander's baseball journey began after graduating from Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville, Ark., in 1999, where he was a three-time all-state member.

Chedister spent his first two years of collegiate baseball as an outfielder at the University of Arkansas, before transferring to Panola College.

The Bulldogs gave the well-traveled ballplayer his final home after signing him in the summer of 2002 as a pitcher and outfielder, soon designating him as a full-time pitcher.

Chedister reported to Greeneville, Tenn., least week to join the Greenville Astros, the Houston Astros' rookie league affiliate.

Chedister's new ballclub began playing games on Monday and will finish competition in August, when Chedister will return to Tech to finish his degree in biomedical engineering.