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Pump Jacks Come from Behind for Extra Innings Win

July 14, 2013 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


With the bases loaded Nate Esposito laced a single to bring home the winning run in extra innings, snapping the Jacks four-game skid.

The East Texas Pump Jacks battled back to erase a four-run deficit and walk off with a 6-5 win in ten innings Saturday night against the Brazos Valley Bombers.

After a slow start, the Jacks rebounded to score one run in the seventh and then three huge runs in the eighth to come from behind and tie the game at five. As the game turned to extra innings, the Pump Jacks wasted no time thanks to four singles in a row to pull away with the game in the tenth.

In the tenth, Matthew Dickey starting things off for the Jacks, swinging at the first pitch he saw for a pinch-hit single up the middle. Garrett McMullen followed with a chopper through the hole in left, and Mitch Meyer loaded the bases with his fourth hit on the night, a blooper to left. Nate Esposito proved to be the hero, driving a single into the gap in right center to score Dickey and give East Texas the win, 6-5.

The win snapped a four-game losing streak as the Pump Jacks clawed back after being down multiple runs for the second night in the row; this time completing the comeback after losing in the bottom of the ninth the night prior against the Victoria Generals when they were down five.

East Texas opened the scoring in the first but then did not plate another run until the seventh. In the opening frame Zach Jones got the offense going with a stand up double to left, for his first extra base of the season. With two outs, Meyer chipped in a double of his own, a hooking shot just fair down the right field line, to plate Jones and give the Jacks a 1-0 lead.

The next five innings were quiet for the Jacks as they were unable to solve Brazos Valley starter Hayden Howard. With the Pump Jacks bats silenced, the Bombers took advantage scoring two runs in the third, one in the fourth, and then picking up two more in the top of the seventh to push a four run lead, 5-1.

The comeback started in the next frame for the Jacks as they added one run in the bottom of the seventh to close the gap. McMullen led off with a chopper to left that turned into double thanks to some smart base running; McMullen took a big round of the bag at first and when he saw Bombers' outfielder Brett Kauten going half-heartedly for the ball, he gambled, taking second, putting him in scoring position for Meyer. Meyer picked up his second RBI of the night with a bounding single off the glove of the Brazos first baseman, plating McMullen from second.

East Texas kept rolling in the eighth, scoring three to knot the game at five. The Pump Jacks got a lead off runner on in the form of Devon Conley, who drove a single up the middle to turn things over to the top of the lineup. Connor Huesers followed with an infield single, and both runners moved into scoring position on a throwing error by the Bombers catcher. McMullen plated both runners with a single and scooted over to second on yet another throwing error, this time by Kauten in left. Meyer added to his outstanding night with a single to right, bringing home his third RBI of the night and tying the game at five.

After both teams went quietly in the ninth, the game turned into extra innings, setting up for the exciting walk-off win in the tenth.

All-star pitcher Nick Rossetta entered the game in the ninth and finished the game off for the Jacks. Rossetta relieved Don Sullivan (who was able to strand a runner on third in the eighth to keep the game within reach) and retired all six batters he faced in order to pick up his fourth win. Starter Austin Watson was given the no-decision after pitching six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and striking out one (the seventh time this season Watson has received a no-decision).

The Jacks wrap up the series with the Bombers Sunday night, and then after a day off they head to Victoria for a two-game series where they Pump Jacks look to get revenge on the Generals, who swept them last week.

Sunday will be another Sunday Fun Day with the Jacks, 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, just on Sunday Fun Day presented by theGOspot.com.

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 14, 2013


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