FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
Bryan-College Station, TX (January 29, 2009) –
The Brazos Valley Bombers announced the signing today of Zach Hudson and P.J. Francescon, a pair of teammates from Middle Tennessee State University. The twosome brings plenty of experience to a Bomber team that is shaping up to be the most talented team in the club’s three year history.
Hudson expects to star for the Blue Raiders this spring in his junior campaign. After hitting just .167 with 10 runs scored in just seven starts as a freshman, he blossomed into an excellent hitter his sophomore year. In 39 games, he finished third on the team with an amazing .366 batting average, along with 20 RBI and 30 runs scored. He also proved his consistency, as he hit .349 in Sun Belt Conference play.
The 6’2” outfielder enjoyed a spectacular career at Overton High School in Nashville, Tennessee, as he mounted one accolade after another in football and baseball. After being selected an All-Region football player in the fall of his junior season, he went on to lead the baseball team to a State Championship the following spring. His statistics were nothing short of incredible, as he hit .354 with 41 runs scored, 38 RBI, 13 doubles, and 11 stolen bases. He enjoyed an even better senior season and was selected All-State by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association after batting .458 with 39 runs, 35 RBI, 19 doubles, four home runs, and 10 stolen bases. He proved his versatility on the mound with a perfect 5-0 record and a 2.33 ERA. Hudson’s hard work and talent will be a welcome addition to the Bombers as they make a run for the TCL Championship.
The power-pitching P.J. Francescon will provide the Bombers with depth in the rotation this summer. The six-foot, 180 pound right-hander is expected to be an important piece of the Blue Raiders bullpen this season as he looks to gain off the experience he earned last summer as a freshman. He displayed his ability to strike out hitters with his tough pitches as he garnered 17 strikeouts in just 27.2 innings. Francescon joined the Blue Raiders after a stellar career at Ravenswood High School in Nolensville Tennessee, a small town of 3000 people south of Nashville. He was a four-year letter winner in baseball, including an All-Midstate selection his junior year after he struck out 95 hitters in just 66 innings. He also compiled a 1.60 ERA and was voted to the All-Tournament team for the second consecutive year.
The Bombers are members of the Texas Collegiate League, one of the nation’s premier summer collegiate circuits. Teams like the Bombers bring minor league baseball-style entertainment to communities throughout the country, giving some of the best college players a chance to further their careers in wood bat leagues in front of Major League scouts. The Bombers 48-game season begins on June 5 and runs through August 8, followed by the TCL playoffs and a championship series. Season tickets for the 2009 season are now on sale. More information is available by calling the Bombers ticket office at (979) 779-PLAY, visiting the Bombers office in Bryan, or logging on to the Bombers’ official web site at www.bvbombers.com.
