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Pump Jacks Bounce Back to Split Series with Cutters

July 20, 2013 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


Nick Rossetta pitched seven quality innings, and four Pump Jacks recorded multi-hit games to defeat the Acadiana Cane Cutters 7-3 on Fireworks Friday in East Texas.

After falling quietly just one night ago, the East Texas Pump Jacks rebounded to best the Acadiana Cane Cutters 7-3 Friday night at Historic Driller Park to split the series and pick up another tally in the win column.

Nick Rossetta turned in another great start for East Texas to pick up his fifth win of the season, tying the league lead. Rossetta pumped strikes and carried a spotty defense behind him to help lead the Jacks to the win. In his seven innings Rossetta allowed three unearned runs on four hits and recorded four strikeouts.

After a bit of a slump, the Pump Jack offense reemerged to score seven runs on nine hits on another explosive Fireworks Friday. Mitch Meyer, Devon Conley, Nate Esposito, and Connor Huesers all chipped in multiple hits, and Meyer led the way with three RBI.

After conceding two unearned runs in the first, the Pump Jacks responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning to cut the Acadiana lead in half. Conley led off reaching first on an error. He moved to third on back-to-back singles as Esposito laced a liner to left and Brett McAfee laid down a bunt down the line to load the bases. Meyer earned the RBI with a sacrifice fly to deep center, plating Conley to make the score 2-1.

The Jacks knotted things up in the third thanks to another RBI from Meyer. Conley opened the frame with a single and moved to second on a stolen base. With two outs, Meyer placed a broken bat single into shallow left-center to drive in Conley.

The game remained even through the next three innings until the Cutters took the lead on a mishap by the Jacks defense. After a walk and a single put runners on the corners with one out, Rossetta fanned a batter on slider in the dirt, which allowed the runner from first to move up to second. The go-ahead came home on another passed ball by Esposito, this time a fastball up in the zone that bounced in and out of his glove.

However the error was quickly forgotten as the Jacks responded to blow the game open in the bottom half, scoring four runs to take a commanding 6-3 lead. The Pump Jacks sent nine batters to the plate, starting with Mark Mathias who reached first on an error. Conley followed with a beautiful push bunt down the first base line for a single and Esposito flew out setting up for the turning point of the inning.

McAfee attempted a sacrifice bunt down the first base line, but Cutters pitcher Kyle Cedotal's throw to first base sailed down the right field line, resulting in Mathias scoring from second to even the game. Conley crossed home to regain the lead for the Pump Jacks on a grounder from Meyer, his third RBI of the night. With the lead secured, the Jacks never looked back adding two more runs in the inning on a two-out double to right from Huesers.

The Jacks tacked on another run in the eighth to push the final margin to 7-3. Mathias worked a walk and with Esposito at the plate, he stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Esposito drove home the final run of the game with a double to deep right for his second hit of the night.

Rossetta departed after seven strong innings and gave way to Don Sullivan who pitched a 1-2-3 inning with one strikeout. Kenny Oakley closed out the game, allowing one hit but struck out two batters to secure the 7-3 win for the Jacks.

The four-game homestand continues as the Jacks welcome the Victoria Generals for a two-game set over the weekend.

Saturday night is Aflac Night, when we celebrate everything Aflac. All Grandstand tickets will be FREE on Saturday, so visit the Pump Jacks offices during the day or get your tickets at the gate Saturday night to enjoy a game courtesy of Aflac. The Pump Jacks will be giving away 300 Aflac talking mini-ducks, and there will be a memorabilia raffle during the game with all proceeds going to charity. Get your tickets early to make sure you don't miss out!

The four-game stint concludes with Sunday Fun Day, presented by theGOspot.com. Enjoy $2.50 chips and salsa or $2.50 frozen margaritas and Straw-ber-ritas for the weekend event. The Pump Jacks will even have face painting for the kids, exclusively on Sunday Fun Day presented by theGOspot.com.

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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