Miguel Oropeza accomplished a rare feat for the Talladega baseball team by hitting for the cycle over the three-game weekend series as the Tornadoes defeated Tougaloo College, sweeping the three-game series in the HBCUAC Conference. The scores of the games were 10-2 and 22-4 in Friday’s doubleheader, followed by a 14-2 victory on Saturday afternoon in Talladega, AL. With this performance, Talladega improved its record to 18-6 overall and 10-0 in conference play.
The Talladega offense was impressive, accumulating 45 hits and scoring a total of 46 runs. However, it was Oropeza who truly stole the spotlight.
Oropeza completed the cycle with a single to right field in the fifth inning during the Tornadoes’ final game of the series, which ended with a score of 14-2. Throughout the three-game series, he tallied a single, two doubles, a triple, and a home run, marking this significant achievement.
Over the weekend, Oropeza had an outstanding batting average of 7-for-9, going 3-for-4 in two of the games. He matched the single-game program record by scoring nine runs and recorded four runs batted in (RBI). His home run was an impressive 440-foot shot to center field during the first inning of the 22-4 victory over Tougaloo.
The Tornadoes’ scoring began in the first inning of the first game, where Oropeza tripled to right-center field, contributing two RBIs to a four-run frame.
While it is widely regarded that hitting for the cycle in a single game is one of the greatest highlights of a player’s college baseball career, it still is significant to hit for a cycle over a three game stand.