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Jacks Sweep Acadiana, Hit the Playoffs on a Roll

August 9, 2014 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


The East Texas Pump Jacks closed out the regular season in playoff-worthy fashion, coming from behind to defeat the Acadiana Cane Cutters 4-3 at Historic Driller Park.

The Jacks finished the season schedule on a four-game winning streak, the longest current win streak in the TCL. East Texas swept the Texas Marshals in a Tuesday doubleheader to secure a playoff spot before returning home to sweep the Cutters.

The Pump Jacks must now turn their attention to the first-place Brazos Valley Bombers, who host the first-round matchup Saturday at 7:05 p.m. The winner of Saturday's game will advance to the best-of-three TCL Championship Series beginning Sunday.

On Friday, the Jacks fed off the lively Fireworks Friday crowd to come back from an early deficit. Acadiana went up 1-0 in the third on an RBI single, then doubled the lead when Pump Jacks starting pitcher Tanner Cable issued a bases loaded walk. He worked a popup to end the rally and hold the Cane Cutters to two runs.

East Texas climbed back into the game in the fifth frame. Drew McLaughlin led off with a walk, and Nick Rabat followed with a single. Anthony Gonsolin's sacrifice moved both runners into scoring position. With two outs, Connor Huesers came through with a looping single to score McLaughlin and Rabat and tied the score at 2-2.

The seventh inning proved to be decisive. The Cane Cutters loaded the bases with no outs on a single, a hit batter, and an error by Cable on a sacrifice attempt. A passed ball allowed Acadiana to take a 3-2 lead, and a one-out walk loaded the bases again. Head coach John Foster turned to Jordan White, who coaxed a harmless fly ball to center to end the threat.

The Jacks responded immediately in the bottom of the seventh. Rabat singled to center before Acadiana picked up two quick outs. Rabat stole second, and Huesers legged out an infield single to short that put runners at the corners. Chris Osborne's RBI base hit brought home Rabat with the tying run. Dustin Williams delivered a clutch single of his own to score Huesers and give the Pump Jacks their first lead of the game, 4-3.

Acadiana threatened in the eighth inning, loading the bases before the Pump Jacks delivered one of their top defensive plays of the season. After a leadoff walk, a stolen base, and a groundout, the tying run was at third base with just one out. White hit a batter and issued a walk to load the bases. Another walk would tie the score, and a base hit could very well have given the Cutters the lead again.

White got the ground ball he was looking for, but it appeared destined for center field. That's when Lear flashed from his shortstop position all the way behind second to scoop up the ball. Even with his momentum carrying him toward right field, he had the body control to flip the ball to McLaughlin at second base. McLaughlin was able to make a quick 180-degree turn and fire the ball to first to conclude the inning-ending double play.

With momentum solidly on their side, the Jacks loaded the bases in the eighth but weren't able to secure an insurance run. White worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the victory.

White earned his first win of the season, walking two and striking out one in 2.1 hitless innings. Cable allowed three runs, two of them earned, on five hits in 6.2 innings. He struck out four but walked seven.

The Pump Jacks outhit Acadiana 14-5, led by Williams' 3-for-4 performance. The freshman first baseman went 7-for-9 in the Cane Cutters series to raise his batting average from .261 to a season-ending .293, good for seventh in the TCL. His 30 RBI tied for fifth in the league.

Huesers went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored. McLaughlin and Rabat also went 2-for-3.

The win put the Jacks over .500 for the second half of the season, finishing with a 15-4 record that was good for third place.

East Texas now enters the postseason as the fourth seed, earning a trip to Bryan to face the defending-champion Bombers. In their last visit to Brazos Valley just a week ago, the two teams split a doubleheader. The Bombers eked out a walk-off win in the opener, and Cable tossed a complete game shutout in the nightcap.

Fans can follow all the action Saturday live on Pump Jacks TV.

Since the first round of the playoffs is just one game, the winner advances to the TCL Championship and the loser concludes its season. Should the Pump Jacks advance, Game One of the title series will be at Driller Park on Sunday at 7:05 p.m. The Jacks would face the winner of the other playoff matchup, either the Cane Cutters or the Victoria Generals.



Texas Collegiate League Stories from August 9, 2014


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