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Jacks Come up Wet in Opener

June 16, 2014 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


At 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning, the East Texas Pump Jacks returned home to Kilgore after a tough road trip to Victoria. By noon, thunderstorms overtook Historic Driller Park.

It turns out it was going to be one of those nights.

Despite the threat of rain all evening, the Pump Jacks played Thursday night under a clear Texas summer sky and a nearly full moon, falling to the Acadiana Cane Cutters by a score of 5-0.

The loss couldn't be blamed on East Texas starting pitcher Jordon Gonzalez. Making his first appearance at home this season, Gonzalez went six innings and struck out seven, allowing just four hits and two walks. He surrendered four runs on evening but all of them were unearned. The freshman hurler from Pacific now has an ERA of 1.28 on the season with 18 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched.

The Pump Jacks opened game in promising fashion, when Chris Osborne singled with one out in the first inning. Osborne took second on a passed ball, but the heart of the order wasn't able to Bring Osborne home.

Acadiana jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning, using a single, a walk, and an error, followed by a two-run base hit.

The Cane Cutters benefitted from a pair of errors in the sixth inning to stretch the lead to 4-0.

The Cutters parleyed a one-out walk, a passed ball, and a single into another insurance run in the seventh inning, upping the margin to 5-0.

With 2013 TCL all-star Jake Winston on the mound for Acadiana, the Pump Jacks struggled all night to generate any offense. Osborne and Connor Hornsby picked up the only two hits on the night for East Texas.

The contest also marked the first time this season the Pump Jacks didn't earn a walk at the plate. The Jacks entered the evening leading the league with 68 walks, an average of more than five and a half free passes per game.

The Pump Jacks will try to earn a series split on Friday, which is also the first Fireworks Friday of the season, presented by Patterson Kilgore and CBS 19. The Jacks will light up the night sky with a postgame fireworks extravaganza with a new soundtrack befitting the Friday the 13th date.

Saturday will be Pump Jacks Mist-N-Sip Giveaway Night, presented by GymBox Fitness and KLTV. This unique and useful water bottle has not only a spout to drink from, but a trigger to spray a fine, cooling mist. With your Mist-N-Sip courtesy of GymBox Fitness and KLTV, you can keep cool all summer with a drink and spritz! The bottles feature the Pump Jacks "Boomer Eyes" logo, and only the first 500 fans will get one, so don't be late!

The homestand will wrap up next Sunday with the return of Longview News-Journal Family Night, when fans can pick up four grandstand tickets for just $10, or four tickets and four meals for only $25.

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