Lovato Goes Yard as Pump Jacks Beat Generals

Published on August 6, 2012 under Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


Better late than never, the saying goes.

It took 25 games, and over two months, but the East Texas Pump Jacks finally got their first home run at Driller Park this season.

It came off the bat of Damion Lovato in the fifth inning, and it extended a one-run lead to three as the Pump Jacks got another quality start from Kyle Kubat and rolled on to an 8-4 win over the Victoria Generals on Monday night.

The relative offensive onslaught after a whirlwind 24 hours that made the atmosphere around the game feel more like a road game for East Texas began in the first. Trevin Sonnier was hit by a pitch with one out, and the next three batters followed with consecutive singles against Victoria starter Covey Morrow. Whitt Dorsey's put runners on first and third, and both Lovato and R.J. Santigate parked their hits in right field to drive in one run each and give the Pump Jacks a 2-0 early lead.

In the fourth, after Kubat hadn't surrendered a single hit through the first three innings (the second start in a row in which the southpaw has achieved that mark), the Generals were able to tie the game on a two-run home run by Eric Weiss. After Patrick Duncan followed the blast with another hit, however, Kubat was able to deflect a grounder by Alex Klonowski to Sonnier at short to start an inning-ending 1-6-4-3 double play and get the Jacks out of the jam.

East Texas would take the lead for good in the bottom of the third. Logan Preston led off with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Blair DeBord then lined a single into left to break the 2-2 tie and give the Jacks the lead.

In the fourth, after Dorsey singled to center to lead off the frame, Lovato hit a hanging 0-and-2 breaking ball over the left field fence for a long home run. It was the first home run of the season by a Pump Jacks player at home, and it gave East Texas a 5-2 lead. The Pump Jacks then kept the line moving, as Santigate singled and was replaced at first by Preston on a fielder's choice. After a grounder to third and an error by the shortstop left the Jacks with runners at first and third and two outs, a designed double steal allowed Preston to cross the plate before DeBord was tagged out for a 6-2 lead for the home team.

The Generals got one back in the sixth, but the Pump Jacks responded in the seventh. Santigate led off with a single and stole both second and third base. Connor Lloyd then walked and stole second, and after a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Nico Moran came through with his first hit as a Pump Jack- a two-run single to right-center to extend the lead to 8-3.

The bullpen took care of business from there, with the only blip coming when the Generals added one more run in the eighth that did not factor in the final result.

The 3, 4 and 5 hitters in the East Texas order- Dorsey, Lovato and Santigate- all had multiple hits in the contest, with Santigate leading the charge with three hits and Lovato contributing three total RBI. Moran also had two RBI, as the Pump Jacks opened the final week of the regular season on a winning note.

Kubat threw six innings and struck out three while walking none for his sixth win of the season for East Texas, while Morrow (5-4) lost his third straight start.

The Pump Jacks will continue their final homestand of the regular season on Tuesday night against the Brazos Valley Bombers. It will be another Family Night, where families of four can purchase tickets for just $10, and can add a meal voucher to their tickets for just $15 more.

Wednesday night is yet another Western Wednesday, with the ever-popular barbecue nachos and Ziegenbock beer at the concession stand, as the Jacks host the Bombers again in the back end of a two-game series that will be a battle for first place at Driller Park. With the Pump Jacks and Bombers separated by just 1.5 games in the overall standings, don't miss all the action!

First pitch for each game is set for 7:05 p.m.

Playoff tickets are also on sale now! By virtue of winning the first-half title, the Jacks' will host a first-round playoff game on Sunday, August 12. This year, the first round of the TCL playoffs is just one game, so the Jacks will be playing for a berth in the TCL Championship Series. Tickets are on sale now on the web, by phone, or at the Pump Jacks office in downtown Kilgore.

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Texas Collegiate League Stories from August 6, 2012


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