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Jacks Score Early, Hold off Bombers for a Wild Win

July 25, 2013 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


The Pump Jacks scored ten runs on 13 hits and managed to hold off the battling Bombers for an exciting 10-9 victory, picking up the sweep and closing the six-game homestand.

In a wild one at Historic Driller, the East Texas Pump Jacks won the battle defeating the first-place Brazos Valley Bombers 10-9 Wednesday night. With the win the Jacks complete their first series sweep of the Bombers and move over .500 with a 8-7 second half, and 23-22 overall record.

The game was not shy of excitement, with both teams combining for 28 hits and registering 19 runs. The Pump Jacks also added eight stolen bases, including three from Mark Mathias, doubling his season total.

The Pump Jacks were able to take the early lead thanks to timely hitting. After a seven run ballgame the night prior, the Jacks rolled their momentum into the game picking up 13 hits, including four extra base hits. Zach Jones led the offense going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

The Jacks wasted no time plating runs, tallying three in the bottom of the first. Devon Conley led off with a frame, knocking a double past the glove of the diving right fielder. Connor Huesers followed with a single into center, and then swiped second. Mathias reached first on a ball that was misplayed by the Bombers shortstop, plating Conley for the first run of the game. After Mathias stole second putting two runners in scoring position, Joey Armstrong blasted a two-run triple to deep center to give the Jacks a 3-0 lead. Armstrong's triple was his fourth on the season, moving him into first place in the TCL.

The Jacks added another in the third to widen the gap. Garret McMullen worked a four-pitch walk, stole second, and moved over to third on a fly out from Armstrong. Jones picked up the RBI, going to the opposite field with a well placed single into right to make the score 4-0.

After three quick scoreless and hitless innings, Jordan Price allowed his first hit of the night in the fourth, but managed to work around it and keep the Bombers scoreless. However Price was not as lucky in the fifth as he allowed four singles in the inning, including one that was smoked back up the middle to knock him off his feet, catching him his left shin. A run came home, but Price was able to limit the damage, getting the number three batter to fly out and end the threat and the inning, leaving the bases loaded.

The Jacks responded in the bottom of the frame adding three runs to extend the lead. Huesers sliced a single through the gap in right to start the inning, but was erased at second on a fielder's choice grounder from Mathias. Mathias stole second and moved to third as ball four to Armstrong was bounced past the Bombers catcher, putting runners at the corners. Jones continued his clutch hitting with another opposite field single to plate Mathias. Beau Day drove home the final two runs of the inning with a double hit to right center lost in the lights by Ford Moore. The double was Day's first extra base hit of the season and put the Jacks ahead 7-1.

The Bombers crept back into the game with a four-run sixth inning including a two-run bomb from Blake Kopetsky.

The seesaw affair continued as the Jacks plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Conley opened the frame with a walk and took second, the Jacks sixth stolen base of the evening. After another walk to Huesers, McMullen picked up his first hit of the night with a double that one-hopped the wall in left center, driving home both runners and putting the Jacks over the Bombers 9-5.

Things got interesting as the Bombers battled back to score a pair in the seventh, and two more in the eighth to tie the ballgame. In the seventh, Graham McIntyre roped a single to plate two, and then the very next inning the Bombers took advantage of a costly Pump Jack error to even the score. The Jacks got the final say though, with the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth. Mathias singled and stole second, his third on the night. Armstrong followed with a single that was bounced down the third base line, but the Bombers third basemen's throw to first hopped by the first basemen and into right field, allowing Mathias to score his third run of the night.

Price had another six plus inning start for the Jacks, his fifth in a row. He was given the no-decision after allowing six runs, five earned, on ten hits. J.J. Franklin relieved Price and pitched an inning allowing a run on two hits and recording one strikeout. Kenny Oakley picked up his second win of the year, with a two-inning relief appearance. Oakley allowed two runs, both unearned, on three hits and struck out two Bombers.

The Jacks follow the season-long homestand with their longest road trip of the season, playing six games away from home in seven days.

Tickets for the weekend can be purchased online at pumpjacksbaseball.com; in person at the Pump Jacks office at 106 North Kilgore Street, #201, in downtown Kilgore; by phone at (903) 218-4638; or at the ticket office at Driller Park the night of the game.

To get all the news on the Pump Jacks 2013 season, including game stories and promotional updates, 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 and Twitter.

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Texas Collegiate League Stories from July 25, 2013


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