LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech head baseball coach Larry Hays announced the signing of four student-athletes today all of whom will join the Red Raiders this fall. Matthew Whitaker, Adrian Soto, Steven Gooch and Joel Buchenauer have all signed financial aid agreements and bring the 2002 recruiting class to a total of 16 players. 

Matthew Whitaker, a right-handed pitcher, comes to Texas Tech from Odessa College where he led the nation in strikeouts (143) in 2000. During the 2000 season, Whitaker pitched 105. 2 innings with 143 strikeouts, 37 walks and tallied a 12-4 (4 saves) record with an ERA of 2.98. He was first-team WJCAC, first-team all-region and first-team All-America. Note: He did not play during the 2001 season. 

Steven Gooch, a right-handed pitcher from Howard College in Big Spring, is Tech's second signee. He led Howard with an 8-5 record and 2.37 ERA. 

Adrian Soto, a left-handed pitcher from El Paso Community College, tallied an 8-2 record for the Tejanos this past season in 79.1 innings of work. Soto tallied 66 strikeouts on the season and finished with a 4.65 ERA. 

The final signee in this group is Joel Buchenauer, an infielder from Yavapai Junior College. Buchenauer hit .367 last season with 76 hits, 60 RBI, 18 doubles, two triples and three home runs. 

"We are pleased with this group of guys because we feel like they will give us a lot of depth next season," said Texas Tech head coach Larry Hays. "Each of the players has the possibility to come in and play immediately which makes this an exciting group." 

Texas Tech 2002 Signees (excluding signed players who have signed pro-contracts and will not attend TTU) 

Casey Andrews, INF (Farmington, N.M./Farmington High School); Madison Edwards, INF (Midland, Texas/Midland High School); Nathan Fouts, RHP (Henderson, Nev./Southern Nevada CC); Julio Guerrero, OF (San Angelo, Texas/El Paso Community College); Kevin Jordan, OF (Rowlett, Texas/Navarro CC); Matt Lair, RHP (Canyon, Texas/Vernon JC); Bobby Livingston, LHP (Lubbock, Texas/Trinity Christian); Brandon Shaw, LHP (Cooper, Texas/Grayson County CC); John Slack, OF (Henderson, Nev./Southern Nevada CC); Steven Gooch, RHP (Howard JC); Joe Wagner, INF (Henderson, Nev./Southern Nevada CC); Eric Kitchen, INF (Las Vegas, Nev./Southern Nevada CC); Jacob Brown, INF (Prescott Valley, Ariz./Iowa State); Matthew Whitaker, RHP (Midland, Texas/Odessa College); Joel Buchanauer, INF (Yavapai JC); Adrian Soto, LHP (El Paso, Texas/El Paso CC).