Wichita Wingnuts News

Mata's shutout gives Wingnuts split

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Those who missed the first 72 games of the Wingnuts' season could have seen their story told in about four hours on Wednesday. After playing perhaps their best game of the year and beating St. Paul 7-0 in Game 1 of a doubleheader, Wichita missed its chance to build on it, losing 4-2 in Game 2 at Lawrence-Dumont… Read More

Wingnuts' Roster Moves

WICHITA, KS - Dustan Mohr was activated from the disabled list Wednesday, headlining several Wingnuts' player moves.Mohr had been on the 7-day disabled list since July 21st and had undergone precautionary surgery on his thyroid last weekend.  Mohr has 30 RBI in 34 games with Wichita this year and will return to the starting lineup for… Read More

Wingnuts, Saints split doubleheader

WICHITA, KS- The Wingnuts and the St. Paul Saints split a doubleheader on Wednesday night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Gustavo Mata pitched a complete game shutout for Wichita's 7-0 game one win, while Brenan Herrera and Kevin Hooper each went 3-4 with 2 RBI. In game two, the Saints hung on for a 4-2 victory.  Pichi Balet hit a solo home run… Read More

Doubleheader Wednesday

WICHITA, KS- Tuesday's game between the Wichita Wingnuts and the Sioux City Explorers was postponed due to rain and the forecast for rain throughout the evening.  The make-up game will be played on Thursday, August 7th as part of a doubleheader in Sioux City, as Wichita does not have any more available home dates. The Wingnuts will host the… Read More

Gailen Wins Batter of the Week

WICHITA, KS - The Wichita Wingnuts are proud to announce that left fielder Blake Gailen was named the American Association Batter of the Week.A native of West Hills, CA, Gailen (pronounced GAY-lin) is 13 for his last 22 (.591) and has hit in five consecutive games.  Gailen set two club records on July 25th at St. Paul, collecting five hits and… Read More

Explorers walk past Wingnuts

WICHITA, KS- For the second straight night the Sioux City Explorers knocked off the Wingnuts, 8-5, in a game that lasted nearly four hours. Wichita fought back from a 4-1 deficit to take a 5-4 lead, thanks to a three-run fifth and a solo run in the sixth, before Sioux City scored three of their own in the seventh. Jason Tuttle walked four times and… Read More

Wingnuts find starter in Salazar

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle-When Wingnuts manager Kash Beauchamp approached Richard Salazar in June about moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation, Salazar's reaction eliminated any reservations about the move. "I said 'How do you feel about starting?' " Beauchamp said. "The first thing that came out of his mouth was… Read More

Wingnuts still tinkering with roster

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Wingnuts manager Kash Beauchamp brought with him to Wichita 10 years of independent league managing experience. He knows how to recruit players, where to look for them, and he has all the right connections within the game.Beauchamp has used that knowledge this season as he has seemingly relentlessly pursued the… Read More

Explorers win wild one, 9-8

WICHITA, KS- The Sioux City Explorers held on for a 9-8 victory over the Wingnuts in a seesaw affair on Sunday at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Newcomer Walter Young led the way for the Explorers, going 3-5 with a home run and seven RBI in a game that lasted over four hours.  Brenan Herrera knocked in three runs for the Wingnuts, while Vic Davilla… Read More

Nuts Split in St. Paul

WICHITA, KS - The Wichita Wingnuts hung on for a 5-2 win against the St. Paul Saints on Saturday tp split their four game series at Midway Stadium.Brad Davis earned his sixth win, striking out a season-high eight and walking none in 5.1 IP.  Kevin Cheppenko, Amad Stephens, and Byron Embry pitched scoreless baseball over the final 3.2 IP to… Read More

Gailen, Salazar Help End Skid

WICHITA, KS - Blake Gailen notched the first five-hit game in Wingnuts history, leading Wichita to a 12-2 win over the St. Paul Saints on Friday night.The Wingnuts, who had been riding a season-long four-game losing streak, got two early runs off of Saints' starter Dustin Bolton in the top of the first.  Vic Davilla had an RBI single and… Read More

Wingnuts Drop Fourth Straight

WICHITA, KS - The Wichita Wingnuts fell 9-4 to the St. Paul Saints on Thursday in the second game of a four-game series.St. Paul scored six runs off of starter Gustavo Mata in the bottom of the second to get all the runs they would need.  The Wingnuts had rallies in the eighth and ninth, but ultimately fell five runs short.Blake Gailen, Steve… Read More

Wingnuts Add Veteran Run Producer

WICHITA, KS - The Wingnuts made a significant addition to their roster on Wednesday with the signing of veteran slugger Vic Davilla.A 26th round pick by the Blue Jays in 1993, Davilla has spent more than a decade in independent baseball.  Since the 2000 season, the New York, NY native has posted a .322 average in over 2,400 at bats. … Read More

Wingnuts Drop Series Opener

WICHITA, KS - The Wingnuts fell 4-2 to the St. Paul Saints on Wednesday evening, dropping their third game in a row.St. Paul scored the first run of the game in the fourth on a Marcel Longmire sacrfice fly, and then broke things open with a three-run bottom of the seventh.  Saints' second baseman Tony Mansolino hit a two-run homerun off of… Read More

Wingnuts make roster moves

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts made a handful player transactions today, placing outfielder Dustan Mohr on the seven-day disabled list, releasing RHP Kevin Foeman, and signing outfielder Bub Bergstrom and RHP Asher Demme. Mohr will undergo precautionary surgery on his thyroid this weekend and will be eligible to return to the lineup on… Read More

Wingnuts make right turn on road

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Maybe Wichita is taking advantage of favorable matchups. Maybe its better play on the road in the second half is just a coincidence. Maybe the players are getting plenty of sleep on the bus. Or maybe, according to manager Kash Beauchamp, there is a good reason for the Wingnuts' improved play away from home.… Read More

Wingnuts bats go silent in loss

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Eight days ago, the Wingnuts were shut down by Lincoln's Jarrett Gardner -- but that made sense. Gardner leads the Saltdogs in wins and earned 10 victories in 2007. There may be no explanation for Wichita being baffled Saturday by Sioux City's Cameron Cheek except that maybe the Wingnuts just don't hit well on… Read More

Explorers nip Wingnuts again

WICHITA, KS- The Wingnuts missed out on two golden chances in the late innings and Alex Llanos hit a two-run homer in the top of the tenth, leading the Sioux City Explorers to a 3-2 victory on Sunday at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Former Wingnut Derek Schermerhorn saved the game for the Explorers with a diving stop in the bottom of the ninth with two… Read More

Pearson singlehandedly dismantles Explorers

WICHITA, KS- In perhaps the wildest game in the brief Wingnuts history, Wichita pulled off an amazing 11th inning, 8-7, comeback victory over the Sioux City Explorers on Friday Night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Stephen Pearson was the star of the night inadvertently knocking in the first seven Wichita runs, before Felipe Del Rosario… Read More

Pearson powers a victory

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Stephen Pearson put up numbers on Friday night that made up for the game he missed on Thursday. A night after being benched by manager Kash Beauchamp in the midst of a slump, Pearson drove in runs in his first five at-bats with two homers, two doubles and a fielder's choice, then helped bring home two more in the… Read More

Explorers edge Wingnuts

WICHITA, KS- The Sioux City Explorers nipped the Wichita Wingnuts 2-1 on Saturday Night in front of 4,488 fans at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. The Explorers scored a run in the first on a wild pitch and a run in the third on a bases loaded walk, but that was enough as six Sioux City pitchers combined on a six-hitter.  Kevin Cheppenko and David… Read More

Wingnuts Earn First Shutout, Edge Cats in Extras

WICHITA, KS - Thursday night the Wichita Wingnuts pitched their first shutout in team history, beating the Fort Worth Cats 1-0 in 11 innings at LaGrave Field.Wingnuts' starter Leonard Landeros pitched seven shutout innings, while striking out five.  His opponent Joel Kirsten was perfect into the seventh, before Blake Gailen hit a one-out… Read More

Colton has the tools

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Ask Chris Colton to pinpoint the moment he realized he possessed superior defensive capabilities and he doesn't refer to his seven-year professional baseball career. Instead, Colton brings up his freshman year of high school in Georgia, when an opposing player hit a ball to right-center and Colton, shaded left,… Read More

Cats Even Series With 10-2 Win

WICHITA, KS - Wednesday night the Wichita Wingnuts fell 10-2 to the Fort Worth Cats at LaGrave Field.  Felipe Del Rosario hit a two-run homerun, but the Cats scored four in the fourth and three more in the sixth to break the game open.Dave Rider made his first start of 2008, allowing six runs, four earned, in 3.1 IP.  Jake Gautreau and… Read More

Salazar Leads Wingnuts to 5-3 Win

WICHITA, KS - Tuesday night the Wichita Wingnuts took the first game of a three-game series against the Fort Worth Cats at LaGrave Field in Texas by a final score of 5-3.Richard Salazar improved to 4-1 as a starting pitcher, tossing 7.1 IP and allowing just one earned run.  The lefty struck out a season-high six batters.Michael Thompson went… Read More

Saltdogs hold off Wingnuts

WICHITA, KS- The Wingnuts and Saltdogs combined for 15 runs in the first five innings and none after that, but it was Lincoln that came away with the 8-7 win in front of 5,519 fans at Lawrence Dumont Stadium on Sunday. The Saltdogs scored six runs off Wingnuts starter Brad Davis, led by Shea McFeely, who knocked in three.  Brenan Herrera and… Read More

Order your Wingnuts Merchandise!

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts have been in the National spotlight all week, appearing on ESPN, Fox News, CNN, The Today Show and Inside Edition, among others. With all the media attention, Wingnuts merchandise is going fast, with purchases coming from Wichita to Missouri to Pennsylvania, all the way to the Netherlands!  Check out our… Read More

Maybe life will return to normal now

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- The Wingnuts' 15 minutes of fame appear to be winding down. Though manager Kash Beauchamp's tirade on Wednesday will stand up as a highlight of Wichita's inaugural season, the national attention the incident received is likely over as a new week begins. At least one Wichita player, however, didn't welcome the… Read More

Mohr has career night

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Dustan Mohr played in the thin air of Colorado and enjoyed his best major-league years as a contributor on the Minnesota Twins' late-1990s playoff teams. During his seven-year major league career, though, Mohr never had a night like the one he had on Friday against Lincoln. A few more like it and Mohr could find… Read More

Saltdogs shut out Wingnuts

WICHITA, KS- Lincoln starter Jarrett Gardner pitched a masterpiece, leading the Saltdogs to a 5-0 victory on Saturday Night in front of 4,540 fans at a cold and windy Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Gardner pitched a complete game, allowing just six hits and no walks, while throwing 75 strikes and 100 total pitches.  The Saltdogs blew open a… Read More

Sioux Falls wins bullpen battle

WICHITA, KS- The Sioux Falls Canaries knocked Wingnuts starter Justin Young out of the game with a five-run first inning and then hung on for a 6-5 win on Thursday night in front of a raucous crowd at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. The Wingnuts slowly chipped away at the lead, thanks to a home run by Felipe Del Rosario and two RBI's from Dustan Mohr, as… Read More

Sioux Falls' bullpen tops Wingnuts

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- In taking two of the first three games from the Wingnuts at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium this week, Sioux Falls showed its superior offense and starting pitching. Despite Kevin Cheppenko's best efforts to match the Canaries' relief pitching in the series finale on Thursday, Sioux Falls proved its bullpen is more… Read More

Beauchamp to appear on Inside Edition Tonight

WICHITA, KS- Wichita Wingnuts field manager Kash Beauchamp will be interviewed on Inside Edition tonight, Friday at 6:30 p.m.  The program can be viewed locally on KWCH TV-12.The Wingnuts' manager will discuss his actions following his ejection from the Wingnuts' 5-2 win vs. the Sioux Falls Canaries on Wednesday evening.As a result of the… Read More

Mohr power Wingnuts to victory

WICHITA, KS- Dustan Mohr and Brenan Herrera hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, breaking a 9-9 tie, as the Wingnuts defeated the Lincoln Saltdogs 11-9 on Friday night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. The Wingnuts built early leads of 6-1 and 8-3 but could not hold them, as the Saltdogs tied the game at 8-8 in the sixth, thanks… Read More

Wingnuts split doubleheader

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Two nights after the worst home defeat of the season and about an hour after wasting a strong pitching performance, frustration set in for the Wingnuts. At least for manager Kash Beauchamp. Beauchamp was ejected in the second inning of Wichita's doubleheader nightcap with Sioux Falls. His animated argument with… Read More

Manager Beauchamp suspended four games

WICHITA, KS- Wichita Wingnuts manager Kash Beauchamp has been suspended four (4) games for his actions in Wednesday night’s game against Sioux Falls, the American Association office announced today. Beauchamp (pronounced BEE-chum) was ejected in the second inning of the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday, an eventual 5-2 Wingnuts… Read More

Wingnuts, Canaries split twin bill

WICHITA, KS- The Wingnuts spilt a doubleheader with the Sioux Falls Canaries on Wednesday Night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Sioux Falls won the first game 2-1 thanks to a two-run home run by Grant Richardson in the sixth inning.  Richardson's blast ruined a solid performance by Wingnuts' starter Brad Davis and made a winner out of Canaries'… Read More

Wingnuts on a down cycle

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Injury had already set in for the Wingnuts by the time Beau Torbert stepped to the plate in the eighth inning Monday night. Three pitches into the at-bat, Torbert provided the insult. Needing a home run to complete the cycle, Torbert shot a 2-0 Blake Gailen fastball well over the wall in center field, capping… Read More

Sometimes best fans are a little nutty

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- Two months ago, Brad Horning and Jeremy Schnedler were acquaintances who occasionally ran into each other at social functions. They decided to meet at the Wingnuts' first game on May 8, and they happened to sit in section 118. Since then, the term "section 118" has become obsolete. It's now known as… Read More

Three Wingnuts Named All-Stars

WICHITA, KS - The Wichita Wingnuts are proud to announce that three members of their organization will represent the American Association this month in the league's third annual All-Star Game.  Shortstop Kevin Hooper, second baseman Brenan Herrera, and third baseman Michael Thompson will play for the North Division, comprised of players… Read More

Canaries fly by Wingnuts

WICHITA, KS- The Sioux Falls Canaries touched Wingnuts starter Gustavo Mata for six early runs, en route to a 13-1 victory on Monday Night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium.Beau Torbert led the Canaries, going 4-5 and hitting for the cycle.  Torbert also stole a base and drove in five runs.  Tim Hutting also hit his third home run of the season… Read More

Baseball was the Beauchamps' link

BY JEFFREY LUTZ, The Wichita Eagle- It's 11:30 on a Thursday morning, not exactly a prime television viewing hour. Flipping channels in his office in the back of the Wingnuts' clubhouse, manager James Beauchamp -- who goes by his middle name, Kash -- stops on a program about baseball in the 1960s. Beauchamp's eyes light up as they drift back to his… Read More

Cheppenko Saves Series Finale

WICHITA, KS - Sunday night the Wichita Wingnuts salvaged the finale of their three game series with the Fort Worth Cats at LaGrave Field.  Wichita earned a 3-1 win, scratching the winning runs out in the top of the ninth.Kevin Hooper drew a bases loaded walk to break a 1-1 tie against reliever Matt Reilly.  Brenan Herrera then followed… Read More

Comeback Falls Short

WICHITA, KS - Saturday night the Wichita Wingnuts fell 8-7 to the Fort Worth Cats. Fort was lead offensively by three homeruns, including Ed Montague's second in as many nights.Wichita jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but Jake Gautreau's three-run homerun in the bottom half of of Justin Young tied the game.  Fort Worth… Read More

Park City Tops Pratt in NBC Showcase

WICHITA, KS- The Park City Rangers shut out the Pratt Drillers 7-0 tonight in a special NBC Showcase game at Lawrence Dumont Stadium.Pitcher Wade Morrison earned the victory for Park City, as the Rangers held Pratt to just three hits.  Justin Kemp, a catcher for Wichita State University, hit a home run for Park City.  The Rangers blew… Read More

Cats Take Series Opener

WICHITA, KS - Friday night the Fort Worth Cats defeated the Wichita Wingnuts by a final score of 9-3 at LaGrave Field in Fort Worth, TX.  Ed Montague and Bryan Fryer each hit homeruns to lead the offensive attack for the Cats.Richard Salazar allowed five runs in five innings of work in his first loss as a starting pitcher this season. … Read More

Wingnuts add pitcher

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts filled their 22-man roster today, signing rookie pitcher David Cross.Cross joins the Wingnuts from Virginia Tech University, where he went 1-2 with a 2.89 ERA in 2007.  The previous season Cross started 14 games, winning three.Cross will be in the lineup tonight when the Wingnuts take on the Pensacola Pelicans… Read More

Wingnuts Take Series

WICHITA, KS - Thursday night the Wingnuts won a 5-2 decision over the Pensacola Pelicans at Pelican Park.  Brad Davis pitched seven strong innings, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out four.Dustan Mohr got Wichita on the board with a bases loaded two-run single in the top of the third inning.  Steve Pearson followed with… Read More

Wingnuts Fall 3-1 to Pelicans

WICHITA, KS - Wednesday night the Wichita Wingnuts dropped a 3-1 decision to the Pensacola Pelicans at Pelican Park.  Gustavo Mata kept Wichita in the game, allowing three earned runs in 6.1 IP, but was outdueled by right hander Clegg Snipes. Snipes allowed one run in 7.2 IP while striking out seven.Chris Colton briefly tied the game at one… Read More

Mohr Returns With Four RBI in Win

WICHITA, KS - Tuesday night the Wichita Wingnuts kicked off their second half of 2008 with a 12-6 win over the Pensacola Pelicans at Pelican Park in Florida. Dustan Mohr returned to the Wingnuts lineup and drove in four runs, including a two-run homerun in the top of the fifth. Steve Pearson extended his hitting streak to nine games with a two-run… Read More

'Nuts knock off Saints

WICHITA, KS- The Wingnuts held on for a 7-6 win over their arch-rival, the St. Paul Saints, on Thursday night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Trailing 3-1 in the fifth, Wichita reeled off four straight hits, capped by a three-run home run by Chris Colton.  Brenan Herrera also had a big night, going 3-4 for the Wingnuts. Brad Davis (7-7) picked up… Read More