Gonzalez signs with NOC Tonkawa

By Bruce Campbell, Staff Writer

June 26, 2009 11:32 pm

— Mother knows best.
Zach Gonzalez figured if Northern Oklahoma College Tonkawa was good enough for his mother, Sally, to play basketball there (in the 1980s), it was good enough for him to play baseball for the Mavericks.
The Enid first baseman signed a letter of intent with NOC Tonkawa Friday before the Majors’ game with Bartlesville at David Allen Memorial Ballpark.
“I talked it over with my mom,’’ he said. “She really enjoyed it there and really liked the program. I looked it up on the Internet and I really liked how it looked too.’’
Mavericks coach Terry Ballard likes how good Gonzalez will look in a NOC Tonkawa uniform. The Mavericks graduated their starter at first base this spring.
“It’s a perfect fit for us,’’ Ballard said. “He has Division I potential for sure.’’
Ballard offered Gonzalez a scholarship Monday. He said he would have offered earlier but thought Gonzalez had already signed. Enid Majors coach Bill Mayberry had called Ballard on Gonzalez’ behalf.
“You hear things from different people,’’ Ballard said. “I love his size and his power and he’s a good fielder.’’
The offer was a relief to Gonzalez, who hit .331 with four home runs and 29 RBI as a senior coming off a broken leg in football.
His lone offer came from Pratt (Kan.) Community College. Rogers State had talked with him. Redlands Community College tried to get him to walk on.
“I was getting kind of nervous that I wouldn’t have anywhere to go play baseball,’’ Gonzalez said. “It’s a relief to know I’m going to get to play in college. Hopefully, I’ll start hitting the ball better and have a lot of fun.’’
Gonzalez swung a big bat throughout his career. He hit .360 with five home runs and 24 RBI as a junior, .378 with two home runs and 32 RBI as a sophomore and .356 as a freshman with one home run and 23 RBI.
Gonzalez is still getting physical therapy to strengthen the leg, but expects to be at 100 percent soon. The leg, he said, affected his play last spring, but he didn’t have the best of luck either.
“I was hitting the ball right at people,’’ Gonzalez said. “At the end of the year, I was finally finding the holes. It was a good finish to my senior year.’’
Gonzalez led EHS to three state tournament appearances and helped the Majors to a state American Legion championship last summer.
EHS coach Scott Baugh said the Mavericks are a good opportunity for Gonzalez.
“He’ll have a chance to step in and start playing right away,’’ Baugh said. “You want that. That’s how you get better. He’s a good hitter, but he has a chance to even get better if he keeps working as hard as he has in the past.’’
Mayberry said NOC Tonkawa was a good fit for the slugger.
“He’ll have a chance to improve his skills and advance to another level,’’ Mayberry said.
Gonzalez said his goals were to lead NOC Tonkawa to the NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen next season and eventually go to a Division I school.
“I’ll do whatever they need me to do,’’ he said.
Gonzalez, after signing, thanked his mom and his three coaches — youth coach Randy Chelf, Baugh and Mayberry for helping him get the scholarship.