Wind Surge and Naturals Square Off for Double-A Central Crown
In their inaugural season, the Wichita Wind Surge are playing for the Double-A Central League championship. In their way is a familiar foe - the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. In a best of five series, game one and two will be played at Northwest Arkansas with the remaining three games being
In their inaugural season, the Wichita Wind Surge are playing for the Double-A Central League championship. In their way is a familiar foe - the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. In a best of five series, game one and two will be played at Northwest Arkansas with the remaining three games being played at Riverfront Stadium in downtown Wichita. The Surge look to bring a championship crown back to the city of Wichita in their first season.
PLAYOFF BASEBALL AT RIVERFRONT- Tickets are on sale for Wind Surge home playoff games at windsurge.com. The best of 5 starts tonight.
GAME 3 - Friday at 7 pm - Tickets
GAME 4 – Saturday at 7 pm*
GAME 5 – Sunday at 5 pm*
*If Necessary
VS. NATURALS – The Naturals lead the season series 10-8. The Surge split the six games in Springdale in late July. The Naturals outscored the Surge 128-94 in the 18 games.
SURGE VS. NATURALS
AVG .257 (T 1st) vs. .257 (T 1st)
R 636 (3rd) vs. 668 (1st)
HR 150 (4th) vs. 166 (1st)
ERA 4.35 (4th) vs. 4.56 (5th)
FIELDING .975 (9th) vs. .979 (T 3rd)
THE LEADER OF THE PACK - The Surge held the top spot in the division for 103 of 120 games this season, 85% of season.
AA CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES PITCHING MATCH UPS
Game #1 Tuesday at NW Arkansas RH Jordan Balazovic (5-4, 3.62 ERA) vs. RH Austin Cox (4-1, 3.00 ERA)
Game #2 Wednesday at NW Arkansas RH Cole Sands (4-2, 2.46 ERA) vs. RH Yefri del Rosario (2-4, 5.99 ERA)
Game #3 Friday vs NW Arkansas RH Austin Schulfer (6-8, 4.34 ERA) vs. RH Drew Parrish (5-4, 3.36 ERA)
Game #4 Saturday vs NW Arkansas: TBD vs TBD (if necessary)
Game #5 Sunday vs NW Arkansas: TBD vs TBD (if necessary)
ON THE HILL – Jordan Balazovic will make his 21st start of the season and his fourth against the Naturals. He is 1-1 with a 3.52 ERA in three starts and allowed no hits and one unearned run in a win against the Naturals in a start on September 10th. The Surge have won six of his last eight starts. Balazovic is third in the league in ERA with a 3.62 ERA. The 22-year old is a native of Canada and the fifth ranked prospect in the Twins organization.
THE LONELIEST NUMBER – The Surge are 20-17 in one run games. The 37 games lead the league.
ROAD WARRIORS – Wichita finished the regular season with the leagues best road record at 35-25. The Surge had the leagues best road batting average and finished second in home runs and runs scored and second in ERA.
SWIPER – Aaron Whitefield stole his team leading 36th stolen base Sunday and finished tied for second in the league. Whitefield leads the team with 31 multi-hit games.
THE HIT MAN – Roy Morales finished second in the league with a .306 batting average. He leads the Twins organization. He is tops on the team batting .326 since first of July (74x227). He was batting.266 on the season at that point.
PUNCHING TICKETS - The Surge pitchers finished third in the league with 1,210 strikeouts this season. Chris Vallimont second in the league with 130 strikeouts.
NOTES – Wichita made its 36th come from behind victory on Sunday. The Surge are 16-2 when the starting pitcher makes a quality start, 6 innings or more, three runs or less.
TWINS / ROYALS - The Surge and Naturals meet in the AA Central Championship Series and their affiliates also are meeting in the High-A Central Championship Series with Cedar Rapids Kernels playing Quad Cities.