Gonzales Tabbed NCBWA 2013 Preseason All-American
12/13/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
IRVING, Texas - Following an outstanding 2012 campaign, Gonzaga University junior pitcher/first baseman Marco Gonzales was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association 2013 Preseason All-American team Thursday. Gonzales, reigning West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year and NCBWA District IX Player of the Year, was one of the 18 players tabbed first-team All-Americans.
At the end of last season, Gonzales was named to the NCBWA second-team with former Bulldog Royce Bollinger, who was named to the third team. Gonzales was also honored in 2011 as a NCBWA All-America Freshman first team member.
The Fort Collins, Colo., native is coming off a stellar sophomore campaign in 2012 where he went 8-2 with a 1.55 ERA on the mound and hit .325 at the plate for the Bulldogs. Gonzales, one of three finalists for The 2012 College Baseball Hall of Fame's John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, appeared in 12 games for the Zags with three shutouts to go with 92 strikeouts. He led the WCC in ERA and tied for second in wins helping the club to a 34-22 record. Opposing hitters only hit .201 off him with only 12 extra-base hits.
His 2012 season was highlighted by a career-high 15 strikeout performance in an 11 inning walk-off victory over Loyola Marymount University. Gonzales threw 139 pitches and held the Lions to five hits and no walks.
This summer, Gonzales pitched for the USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team and was named Best Pitcher for the bronze medal U.S. team of Honkbal Week in Haarlem, The Netherlands. He finished 3-0 for the national team with a 2.82 ERA in four appearances.
The only other WCC team represented on the NCBWA preseason lists was the University of San Diego. Pitcher Michael Wagner was named to the first team and third baseman Kris Bryant was named to the third team.
