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Jacks Win 4-3 Nailbiter to Clinch Playoff Berth

July 27, 2015 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


Eight straight.

With the Pump Jacks 4-3 win against the Texas Marshals, East Texas clinched a berth in the Texas Collegiate League playoffs for the eighth-straight year. The Pump Jacks have reached the postseason every year since they joined the TCL in 2008.

The first round of the playoffs will take place on Saturday, August 8, as a one-game event. The winner will advance to the best-of-three TCL Championship Series beginning on Sunday, August 9.

The Pump Jacks will be on the road for the first round playoff game. They'll visit either the two-time defending champion Brazos Valley Bombers or the Acadiana Cane Cutters.

The Marshals pestered the Jacks all game long, but the home team came out of the first inning with a lead and never looked back.

East Texas starting pitcher Tristen Pendley hit a batter and issued a walk to the first two batters of the game, and an RBI double put Texas on the board. Pendley settled down after a visit from pitching coach Brandon Marris and retired three straight to end the inning.

The Pump Jacks answered with a two-out two-run rally in the bottom half of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.

After two quick outs, Weston Pitts was plunked on the first pitch he saw. Dylan Mecham jumped on his first pitch and sent an RBI double to the opposite field gap to score Pitts from first. Tyler Moore followed by legging out an infield single, and an error by the shortstop cleared the way for Mecham to score.

Texas tied the game with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Pump Jacks answered once again in the home half of the frame.

Moore led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, and Alex Bell followed with a walk. Hunter Owens dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt on the left side of the infield, advancing Moore and Bell to second and third. James Lear stepped up and ripped an RBI single that put East Texas back up by a run, 3-2.

The Jacks extended their lead to 4-2 in the sixth inning when Tristan Clarke drew a two-out walk and came around to score on back-to-back singles by T.J. Friedl and Anthony Donovan. The insurance run proved to be important come the ninth inning.

With a playoff berth at stake, the contest took on added drama, especially when the Marshals put Pump Jacks' closer Tyler Adams on his heels in the ninth. Texas entered the final frame down 4-2, but Tyler Bates led off with a single and raced to third on a ground out with the hit-and-run play on.

One out later, Bates scored on a wild pitch and a single and a walk put the go ahead run on first. Adams buckled down from the on, forcing a strikeout and a ground out to end the ballgame.

Despite the first-inning jitters, Pendley allowed just two runs on six hits in seven innings. Jimmy Johnson pitched a clean eighth inning to set up Adams for the save.

Mecham paced the Jacks' offense going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Donovan, Moore, and Lear each picked up a pair of base hits as part of a 12-hit Pump Jacks attack.

Upcoming Games

After a trip to Acadiana to take on the Cane Cutters Tuesday and Wednesday, the Jacks return to East Texas for a two-game set against the Victoria Generals.

Thursday is the final Thirsty Thursday of the summer, presented by the original light beer, Miller Lite. Beer and soft drinks will be discounted throughout the game, and all adults will receive a Pump Jacks koozie. So beat the heat with the Jacks on Thirsty Thursday, presented by Miller Lite.

Friday is chock full of fun and when the Pump Jacks and Brookshire's host Family Fun Night. We'll be giving away mini bats at the gate, and fans can enjoy a meet and greet with players, too. To top it off, fans can save with discounts at the concessions stand all night long. So join the Jacks for Family Fun Night, presented by Brookshire's!

Saturday the Jacks open a two-game set against the Bombers with Photo Giveaway Night presented by Walgreens. The Pump Jacks will be giving away an 8x10 glossy photo courtesy of Walgreens, the third in a collector's series celebrating the team's inaugural season in Tyler. The Jacks will also have the first two photos in the series available that night, so fans can collect the entire trio just by coming to the game!

Fans who are unable to join in on the festivities 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, presented by Brookshire's, 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.



Texas Collegiate League Stories from July 27, 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.

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