For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 13, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

BRONCS SIGN BOBBY GOMEZ

EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's baseball team has signed its first recruit for next fall.

Pitcher/outfielder Bobby Gomez of Falfurrias High School has signed with the Broncs. Gomez will enter Texas-Pan American as a freshman in the fall of 2004, with four years of eligibility.

Named All-State by both the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association and the Texas High School Baseball Writers Association as a junior, Gomez was the Most Valuable Player in District 31-AAA. He was named All-South Texas and All-Bay Area in both his sophomore and junior seasons. Gomez has earned All-District honors three times, and the Jerseys were regional finalists in 2003, area qualifiers in 2002 and advanced to regional semi-finals in 2001.

A left-handed hitter as well as a left-handed pitcher, Gomez has won 20 games and lost four with six saves during his high school career. In 32 appearances, he has pitched 18 complete games, allowed 84 hits in 150 innings, walked 77 batters and struck out 233 with a 1.79 earned run average.

As a junior in 2003, Gomez was 10-1 with four saves and an 0.90 ERA. He allowed only 26 hits in 70 1/3 innings pitched, and pitched a no-hitter and a one-hitter. He walked 38 batters and struck out 131. He pitched a one-hitter as a sophomore.

Gomez has a career batting average of .427 with 14 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 62 runs batted in. As a junior, he hit .436 with six home runs and 34 RBIs.

"We're really excited about Bobby joining our program," said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. "He can help us both as a pitcher and in the outfield. Bobby is a great competitor with a great work ethic. He knows how to win, has a good fastball and a good breaking ball, and he can throw his breaking ball for strikes at any time in the count. He can play any position in the outfield, and will be a gap-type hitter who will hit his share of doubles. Bobby will be a good, solid player, and we're looking for him to come in and contribute as a freshman."

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