Independent Baseball Insider: Vol. 11, No. 28, August 22, 2013
By Bob Wirz
The Wichita (KS) Wingnuts are having another magical season, already tying their franchise record for wins (59-30) with 11 games to go in the American Association campaign, but first baseman C. J. Ziegler (pictured) upstaged the historic 18-5 thumping of host Gary, IN Wednesday night by becoming the first player in team history to hit for the cycle and tied the league record for home runs during the contest.
The 27-year-old’s 27th homer, equaling the mark set three years ago by Brandon Sing of Sioux Falls, SD, came in the first inning and also broke the club record with Ziegler’s 87th run batted in. A fluky triple—the first of his six-year pro career—thanks to a ball being lost in the lights was next followed by a double off the fence and finally a sharp single in the ninth inning.
A strapping 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, the onetime Arizona Wildcats star also has 28 doubles for the season, and in addition to 90 RBI he is hitting .313 with a .403 on-base percentage and a 1.043 OPS (on-base plus slugging) for the division-leading Wingnuts. Ziegler has driven in 10 runs the last six games, all against likely playoff teams from Fargo, ND and Gary (wild card leader).
Photo courtesy of the Wichita Wingnuts
