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Pump Jacks Drop a Pair of Close Games in Acadiana

June 6, 2014 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


It turns out playing 15 innings one night, traveling nearly 300 miles, then playing 14 innings the next night, isn't a good recipe for winning.

Just hours after concluding their extra-inning win Wednesday night, the East Texas Pump Jacks took to the road to play the Acadiana Cane Cutters. As a result of their rainout last Sunday, the two teams were scheduled for a doubleheader Thursday, a pair of seven-inning games.

The Jacks may not have had enough left in their collective tank, dropping both ends of the double-dip when the Cane Cutters rallied late. Acadiana scored four sixth-inning runs in the first game to win 6-4, then benefited from an errant throw in the seventh frame of the nightcap for a 3-2 victory.

Neither team was particularly sharp all night long. In the first game, the two teams combined for ten runs on just 12 hits. In the second, there were as many errors (five) as there were hits.

On the other side of the coin, Chris Osborne crushed his first home run in a Pump Jacks uniform. The two-run shot in the sixth inning of game one highlighted a three-run rally that gave the Jacks a 4-2 lead. Matthew Dickey stole his league-leading tenth base of the season, putting him one-quarter of the way to his record total last year after only seven games.

East Texas fell behind early in the first game courtesy of a leadoff home run by Acadiana's Connor Barron. Pump Jacks starter Darren Lauer recovered nicely, shutting down Acadiana for three innings before allowing another run in the fourth.

The Pump Jacks got on the board in the fifth when Anthony Gonsolin drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a passed ball. One out later, Taylor Bailey singled to plate Gonsolin and cut the Acadiana lead to 2-1.

The Jacks roared back in the sixth inning. James Lear worked a one-out walk before Osborne's shot gave East Texas its first lead of the night. Gonsolin followed with a triple of his own, and the hero of Wednesday night's marathon, Danny Bolanos, was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch with runners at the corners scored Gonsolin and extended the lead to 4-2.

Acadiana had another ending in mind, though. They pieced together five hits in the sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run double that gave the Cane Cutters the lead, for the 6-4 final margin of victory.

Jordon Gonzalez got the start in the nightcap and struck out seven in 4.2 innings. He allowed a run on a wild pitch in the first, but the Pump Jacks answered right back in the third inning.

Osborne scored the tying run, and while it wasn't as dramatic as his earlier home run, it was no less entertaining. He dropped a bunt that was fielded by Acadiana pitcher Jesse Stallings, who overthrew the first baseman and sailed it down the line. As Osborne rounded first and chugged for second, second baseman Kennon Menard airmailed his throw past second and into left field. Osborne continued his trek around the bases thanks to a third error, this time by left fielder Jalen Haskin, which allowed the run to score and tie the game.

The two teams traded runs in the fifth inning. Dickey drew a leadoff walk and stole second. One out later he took third on a wild pitch, and with two outs he scored on yet another wild pitch.

A pair of costly Pump Jacks errors in the home half of the frame sent the contest into the seventh knotted at 2-2.

The Jacks had a chance for the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Bobby Webb walked to lead off the frame and Osborne sacrificed him to second. With Andrew Grifol at the plate, Webb took third on a wild pitch. Unwilling to let the hot-hitting Grifol beat them, the Cane Cutters walked the Jacks first baseman for the third time on the night. But with runners at the corners and one out, East Texas was unable to score the go-ahead run.

Like the Pump Jacks, Acadiana earned a leadoff walk in the seventh, then sacrificed the runner to second base. But when an errant throw by reliever Marshall Kasowski sailed over Grifol and down the line, the Cane Cutters were able to run home with the victory.

The Pump Jacks finish the series with Acadiana Friday night at 7 p.m. before returning to East Texas for a weekend series against the defending champion Brazos Valley Bombers. Saturday is Pump Jacks Koozie Giveaway Night presented by KLTV, when the first 500 fans will receive a free Jacks koozie! Sunday is Longview News-Journal Family Night, when a family of four can get tickets for just $10.

To follow all the news during the 2014 season, 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 June 6, 2014


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