Trio of Chaps Help Claim NBC Title

Paul Gonzalez Claimed MVP Honors (photo by: Chelsi Thieesen)

WICHITA, Kan. (August 15, 2010) - In 2009, it was Lubbock Christian University baseball assistant coach Andy Schatzley serving as the head coach for El Dorado (Kan.) and leading them to a National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series title.  This season, LCU played another role in a NBC World Series title.  LCU starting pitcher Paul Gonzalez earned NBC World Series Most Valuable Player honors and led the Liberal Bee Jays (Kan.) to this season's title.

Gonzalez wasn’t the lone Chaparrals representative on the Bee Jays roster.  The Bee Jays, who claimed their fifth NBC title and their first since 2000 with a 9-6 win over the Seattle Studs to complete the 76th edition of the NBC World Series, were also aided by LCU's Marc Gomez and Richard Bohlken. Gonzalez went 3-0 in the series with a 1.27 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 22 innings to join the likes of Kevin McReynolds, Lance Berkman and LCU Hall of Honor member Kerry Richardson, who have had the honor to claim NBC World Series MVP honors in the past.  Richardson ironically claimed his in 1985 with Liberal.  Bohlken, who was a sophomore last season with the Chaps, batted .360 in the series (9-for-25) with a homer and six runs-batted-in.  Gomez, a native of Lubbock and a Coronado High School product with LCU, batted .333 in the series (8-for-24) with two triples and three runs-batted-in.  In the championship game, Bohlken went 2-for-4 with a two-run single, while Gomez went 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Schatzley attempted to defend his title from last season, skippering El Dorado for a second consecutive season, but his Broncos lost out in the World Series with a 3-2 record. The NBC World Series is the annual premier amateur baseball event.  The NBC is an organization comprised of 15 amateur and semi-professional baseball leagues operating in the United States and Canada.