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Bossier Parish deputy, former Tiger leaves department to join pro baseball team

7 years 10 months 4 weeks ago Thursday, April 28 2016 Apr 28, 2016 April 28, 2016 6:17 PM April 28, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ

BOSSIER PARISH - The Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office bid farewell to a deputy who has signed a contract to become a professional baseball player.

Thursday was Randy Ziegler's final day on the job. He's headed to Nebraska to play for the Lincoln Saltdogs, a minor league team of the Chicago White Sox. 

Ziegler, a left-handed pitcher, has a 91-MPH fastball that caught the attention for a White Sox scout. 

"I hadn't thrown in 3 years," Ziegler explains in a post on the sheriff's office Facebook page. "We got a radar gun just to see how hard I was throwing, and I was throwing 90/91, which is what I was throwing 3 years ago."

Although he's leaving, Ziegler says he enjoyed his time as a deputy.

"It's something I always wanted to do," he explains. "I wanted to help and serve the community and be a part of something bigger than myself."

Lt. Billy Jones says he's sad to see Ziegler leave, but knows what a fantastic opportunity this is for him.

"I hate to lose him, but I realize he's been given a gift," Lt. Jones says. "He's a good pitcher, and he's left-handed, and that can take him a long way. I really hope the best for him. If he don't go, he'd never know what he could have done."

Ziegler was a member of LSU's National Championship team in 2009. He appeared in three games for the Tigers before he was injured and received a medical redshirt. in 2010, he pitched for Bossier Parish Community College before pitching for the ULM as a sophomore. 

Ziegler is from Shreveport and attended Calvary Baptist High School. The team won two state championships during his time there, and he was named Pitcher of the Year of Class 1A in 2007.

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