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Jacks Fall to Brazos Valley in 14-Inning Affair

June 9, 2015 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


The Pump Jacks forced extra innings by scoring the tying run with two outs in the ninth inning, only to fall in the 14th inning in heart-breaking fashion.

The East Texas Pump Jacks have used the first week of the season to demonstrate that their first season in Tyler will be nothing if not dramatic.

The Pump Jacks sent Sunday's game into extra innings by scoring the tying run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, only to fall to the Brazos Valley Bombers in 14 innings, 5-3.

East Texas went 1-3 in its first homestand in Tyler, but the record is deceiving. The Pump Jacks fell in the opener by a 2-0 score, then lost the second game 8-7. In the latter contest, the Jacks rallied from an 8-1 deficit only to see the potential game-tying run thrown out at the plate to end the evening. The Pump Jacks then split the weekend series with the two-time defending champion Bombers, winning 3-1 and pushing Sunday's effort deep into extra innings.

The Jacks were able to reach extra innings thanks to the heroics of James Lear, who singled off Brandon Pennington with two outs in the ninth to score Anthony Donovan and tie the score at 3-3. Donovan led off the frame with a single, went to second on a Dilon Argo sacrifice bunt, then took third on T.J. Friedl's sac fly.

East Texas jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to runs in both the second and third innings. In the second, walks to Alex Bell and Joey Libby and a single by Chad McKinney loaded the bases. Another free pass to Dylan Mecham forced in the first run of the game.

One inning later, Lear led off with a double, then Niko Buentello and Jake Nash drew a pair of walks to load the bases. Bell lofted a sacrifice fly that scored Lear and staked the Pump Jacks to a 2-0 lead.

Starting Pitcher Bryce Howe made his debut for East Texas, striking out five and allowing just three hits over six frames. He didn't give up his first hit of the ballgame until the fourth inning.

Howe didn't face trouble until the sixth inning, when he hit the leadoff hitter and allowed a single. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, a two-out single and a wild pitch tied the game.

The Bombers took their first lead of the game in the seventh, when reliever Jimmy Johnson allowed a one-out single and a walk. Franklin Miller came on and coaxed a grounder back to the mound, but when he threw to first for the out, Jimmy Norris broke for home and beat Bell's throw from first to score the run.

Enrique Perez pitched three scoreless innings of relief, holding the Bombers at bay for Lear's game-tying hit in the ninth. Joe Bernhard then came to the mound and delivered three shutout frames before running into trouble in the 14th inning. Back-to-back singles by the Bombers to lead off the frame brought Tanner Cable on in relief. An ill-fated pickoff attempt, a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch later, the Bombers were up 5-3.

Donovan drew a walk to lead off the bottom half of the inning, and Friedl roped a one-out single to bring the winning run to the plate. With that, Brazos Valley called on its sixth pitcher of the night, Evan Karre, to close things out. Lear was robbed of a potential extra-base hit in the right field gap for the second out of the inning.

The Jacks' fate fell in the hands of designated hitter Niko Buentello, whose three-run double keyed their five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth on Friday. For the second time in the ball game, Buentello was robbed by the pitcher on sharply hit ground ball up the middle, and he was retired for the final out.

Lear and Friedl each had two hits for a balanced East Texas attack that saw every starter reach base by a hit or walk.

The Pump Jacks enjoy an off day on Monday before hopping on a bus to Victoria for a two-game set with the Generals. The Jacks will return to Irwin UT Tyler Ballpark for a doubleheader on Thursday with the Texas Marshals, and enjoy a rare Friday off before starting a two-game series with the Woodlands Strykers at home on Sturday.

Pump Jacks Nation: Pump Jacks Nation: 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.

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