Wingnuts

The Wichita Wingnuts re-signed first baseman C.J. Ziegler on Wednesday. Ziegler (pronounced ZIH-glur) dominated the American Association in 2012, hitting .320 with 18 home runs and 61 RBI in just 58 games played. The 18 home runs tied for third in the league, and stand as the third-highest single-season total in team history. Ziegler demonstrated strong plate discipline, walking 34 times and striking out only 37. The Tucson, AZ native finished the season with a .408 on-base percentage, and fell 10 plate appearances shy from topping the American Association with a .631 slugging percentage.

Wichita Wingnuts' bench coach Brian Rose died early Thursday morning at the age of 34, following a three-year battle with stage 4 melanoma. "It is with a very heavy heart that we have to say goodbye to one of our own," said Wingnuts' General Manager Josh Robertson. "Brian Rose inspired so many people with the way he handled this disease, and I hope that anyone who had the chance to meet him looks at life in a much different way. He fought this battle to the very end with such a positive attitude, and it is a shame that his life was taken from us so early.

Ryan Khoury will be back in the middle of the Wingnuts' defense in 2013.  The standout shortstop re-signed with the club Monday afternoon.  Khoury hit .256 last season, cracking 18 doubles and four home runs.  He also set a single-season franchise record with 38 stolen bases.  He finished third overall in the league in stolen bases. Khoury is the first player officially signed by the 'Nuts in this offseason.  Wichita starts the 2013 season at home on May 16th against the Kansas City T-Bones.

The Wichita Wingnuts have announced their 2013 schedule.  The 'Nuts will play 100 games starting this coming May at home against the Kansas City T-Bones.  Wichita will play 15 different teams and 11 of those teams will play a series at Lawrence Dumont Stadium.   Click here to view the schedule.

Wichita Wingnuts' right-handed pitcher James Hoyt and outfielder David Peralta have been named to Baseball America's 2012 Independent Leagues Top-20 Prospects list. The list encompasses the top prospects across each independent league in North America. Hoyt ranked ninth on the list after posting a 2.61 ERA for the Wingnuts with 15 strikeouts against only five walks in 10.1 innings pitched.  The 26-year-old Hoyt also made 11 appearances for the Mexican League's Tabasco Olmecas, striking out 20 batters in just 13.1 innings with a 2.02 ERA.  The Boise, ID native has averaged 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings over the first two years of his professional career.  Hoyt pitched to a 1.04 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings for the North American League's Edinburg Roadrunners prior to being traded to the Wingnuts in late-June.

The Winnigpeg Goldeyes scored 5 runs in the second inning and put the game away with three runs in the 7th to beat Wichita 8-3. That win sealed a championship for the Goldeyes in the American Association. The second inning was a nightmare for Wingnuts' starter Derek Blacksher who gave up two earned runs and had two errors from his defense allow three more runs to cross the plate.  Blacksher would last 5 and a third innings giving up 9 hits, 2 earned runs and striking out four batters.

The Wichita Wingnuts lost 7-3 to the Winnipeg Goldeyes in Game Two of the American Association Championship Series at Shaw Park on Wednesday night. Wichita trails the best-of-five series 2-0. Amos Ramon cracked a two-out, three-run homer off of Ryan Hinson in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Winnipeg a 5-3 lead. Six of the Goldeyes' seven runs scored on two outs. Josh Mazzola lined a single to left leading off the bottom of the sixth and advanced to second two batters later when Michael Coles was hit by a pitch.

The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the Laredo Lemurs 8-2 in Game Three of the American Association Division Series at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Friday night. The Wingnuts sweep the best-of-five series 3-0 and advance to the American Association Championship Series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes beginning Tuesday night at Shaw Park.  It is the Wingnuts' first postseason series win in franchise history. Wichita scored four runs in the bottom of the third to overcome an early 1-0 deficit.  Steve Stanley drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a single to center from Ryan Khoury.  Jake Kahaulelio followed with a soft groundball to third base.  Khoury beat John Allen's force attempt at second while Kahaulelio beat Anthony Scelfo's relay to first to load the bases with no outs.  John Rodriguez drove in the tying run with a groundball to first base.  Javier Brito gloved the ball and threw home for the force, but Stanley slid in just safe with the tying run.  C.J. Ziegler drew a bases loaded walk to give Wichita a 2-1 lead.  Two batters later, David Peralta grounded a single through the right side that made it 4-1. After working out of a first-inning jam, Derek Blacksher took control of the game through the middle innings.  Blacksher retired the leadoff hitter from the second through the seventh, and had a stretch of nine consecutive batters retired in a row.  Blacksher allowed two earned runs on seven hits to earn the win.  Blacksher...

Starter Ryan Hinson gave up just one run over 6 and two-thirds innings while John Rodriguez went 3-4 with 4 RBI, leading the Wingnuts to a 9-5 victory over Laredo on Thursday night. The win is the second victory for the 'Nuts in the best of five series against the Lemurs.  Wichita has a chance to clinch the series on Friday night at home.

The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the Laredo Lemurs 6-0 in Game One of the American Association Division Series at Uni-Trade Stadium on Wednesday night. Wichita leads the best-of-five series 1-0. Josh Lowey improved to 5-1 lifetime in the postseason with seven shutout innings to earn the win.  Lowey scattered four hits, walked two, and struck out four.  Lowey is now 5-1 with a 2.88 ERA in nine career playoff starts. Lowey worked out of the only jam he faced in the bottom of the second.  With the bases loaded and two outs, Anthony Scelfo drilled a deep flyball to right-center field that was caught by a sprinting David Peralta.  Following the threat, Lowey retired 16 of the final batters to face him through the end of the seventh.