Sports stats



Jacks Blank Generals 2-0 to Split Doubleheader

June 20, 2015 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


John Caskey and the East Texas Pump Jacks stifled the Victoria Generals in nightcap of their doubleheader on Friday at Irwin UT Tyler Ballpark, shutting out the visitors 2-0 after falling 7-0 in the opener.

Caskey pitched 5.1 innings and struck out six while allowing just four hits. Runners made it into scoring position in every inning after the second, but never lost his composure on the mound and continued to hold the Generals at bay.

On the other side of the coin, the Pump Jacks offense gave Caskey an early lead to work with, scoring runs in the second and third innings.

Tristan Clarke led off the bottom of the second with a walk and stole his way to third base to set the table for Nick Roark. With two outs, Roark laced a first-pitch single to center field to drive in his first RBI of the summer.

Brandon Grudzielanek led off the third with a single, moved to second base when Joey Libby was hit by a pitch, and took third on a passed ball with Clarke at the plate. Generals' catcher Dakota Phillips let another pitch squirt by, and Grudzielanek broke for the plate. Phillips lunged to place the tag on the Jacks' baserunner, but Grudzielanek evaded the tag for the Pump Jacks' second run.

Meanwhile, Caskey was working his way through the Generals lineup. In the top of the third inning, he allowed a two-out double to left field, then forced the next batter into a lazy grounder to short.

A single, a walk, and a hit batter loaded the bases for Caskey with two outs in the fourth, but he again escaped the jam when he coaxed an easy grounder to third.

The Generals came close to getting on the board in the fifth when Grudzielanek couldn't handle a potential double-play ball that could have ended the inning. Caskey struck out the next hitter but then had to face Phillips, the Generals' home run leader, with two outs and the bases jammed.

Phillips blasted a 1-0 fastball to deep right field, and just as it was about to strike the right field wall, Clarke made a running grab. What could have been a bases-clearing double to give the Generals the lead was instead an inning-ending fly out thanks to Clarke's range.

Caskey earned the right to start the sixth, but he gave up a single to the leadoff hitter, and a mental lapse in the outfield allowed the batter to reach second. Caskey put the next batter down on strikes, and with that head coach Ernie May called on Tyler Adams to preserve the 2-0 lead.

Adams struck out the next two batters to end the inning, and recorded his third punchout in a row when opened the seventh inning. He issued a seven-pitch walk to the next batter, but erased the mistake when he forced Caden Williams into a 4-6-3 double play to end the ballgame.

After drawing three walks in his debut on Sunday, Grudzielanek led the offense in the nightcap when he collected his first two hits as a Pump Jack to go 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.

Bryce Howe got the start in the opener and persevered through six innings despite allowing six earned runs. Howe looked to have found a rhythm through the first two innings, but hit a rough patch in the top of the third when he allowed five runs to cross the plate.

East Texas was unable to manufacture any late-game offense, but Dilon Argo, T.J. Friedl, and Niko Buentello collected base hits off of starting pitcher Stuart Springer, who tossed the shutout.

Thanks to wet field conditions in The Woodlands, the Pump Jacks' Saturday game at the Strykers has been cancelled. Following the weather-induced day off, the Jacks hope to travel to The Woodlands Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at 5:05 p.m.

After a day off on Monday, East Texas returns home for a two-game set against the Acadiana Cane Cutters Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday is Kids Night presented by Tradition's Restaurant & Catering, when all children 12 and under get in the ballpark for half price. That means kids can come to the game for as little as $2.50, thanks to Tradition's Restaurant & Catering!

To follow all Pump Jacks games, home and away, fans can tune in to our live Ustream broadcast or follow the game with live scoring updates on our Pointstreak feed.

To follow all the news during the Jacks' inaugural season in Tyler, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

• Discuss this story on the Texas Collegiate League message board...

Texas Collegiate League Stories from June 20, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central