Pump Jacks Keep Coming, But Fall In Victoria

Published on July 14, 2012 under Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


The East Texas pitching staff kept them in the ballgame against the Victoria Generals, as the Pump Jacks fell behind twice in the game, but each time the damage was minimized.

Despite getting the score evened twice, a late push by the Generals gave them a 3-2 win over the Jacks at Riverside Stadium in a battle between the two best teams in the Texas Collegiate League by overall record.

The Generals got on the board first against East Texas starter Ty Schlottmann. In the bottom of the second, Billy Richard walked with the bases loaded to make the score 1-0 Generals. But the left-hander Schlottmann got out of the jam by inducing a groundout right back to the mound.

That would end up being key for East Texas, as the Pump Jacks were able to tie the score for the first time in the top of the third. With one out, Charlie Wagner hit a solo home run over the right field wall. Wagner's first dinger of the year, and just the fourth homer all summer by the Jacks, made the score 1-1.

The Generals got to Schlottmann again in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, a walk and two singles, the latter hit coming from Patrick Duncan to drive in a run, made the score 2-1 Victoria. After a flyout for the second out of the inning, a wild pitch moved the runners up to second and third. But a terrific diving catch by John Williams in center field in the next at-bat again prevented further damage from being done.

The Pump Jacks then had a couple opportunities to tie the score, but came up empty. In the sixth inning, Taylor Murphy crushed a two-out triple to center field to put the tying run ninety feet away from scoring. Kash Kalkowski then hit a ball equally as hard, but Pacheco was able to snare it before it went back up the middle to end the frame.

In the seventh, the Pump Jacks would threaten again. R.J Santigate led off with a single and stole second base. After a strikeout, a wild pitch moved Santigate to third. With two outs in the inning, Blair DeBord and Wagner worked back-to-back walks on full counts, but Pacheco was able to get out of the jam by inducing a flyout.

But against reliever Tanner Green in the eighth, the Pump Jacks would finally break through and tie the game up again. Murphy started the rally with a one-out single, and Kalkowski hit a deep drive to center field that just eluded the glove of a diving Richard. A hustling Murphy was able to score all the way from first on the double and make the score 2-2.

Unfortunately for the Pump Jacks, the Generals fought back in the bottom of the frame. An infield single chased Schlottman from the game, and a bunt single and a walk sandwiched around a strikeout by Gerardo Esquivel loaded the bases. Richard then hit a ground ball to shortstop Kevin O'Leary, who went to second base to try and start a potential inning-ending double play. But Richard beat the relay throw to first base, allowing the go-ahead run to score and make it 3-2 Victoria.

The Jacks tried to rally again, with two-straight two-out singles by Wagner and Williams putting the tying run in scoring position in the ninth against reliever Dallas Ponder. But a popout to first base ended the game.

Murphy and Wagner finished with multi-hit nights for East Texas, with Wagner going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI on his solo homer. Murphy had a run scored as well for the Jacks, with Kalkowski driving in that run for his only RBI of the game.

Schlottmann (2-2) was strong through seven-plus innings, allowing all three runs and working out of trouble multiple times as the Generals left nine men on base against him. But he took the hard-luck loss on Saturday, throwing 99 pitches in the effort. Green (1-1) got the win for the Generals with Ponder getting his second save of the season.

The Pump Jacks continue their three-game road swing with a Sunday contest in Dallas against the Texas Marshals, and they will conclude the trip in Alexandria when they face off against the Aces.

East Texas returns home on Tuesday night against the Acadiana Cane Cutters on Family Night. Families of four can experience the excitement of Pump Jacks baseball for only $10, and can add meal vouchers to their tickets including a hot dog, a bag of chips and a soft drink for just $15 more.

The next night is another Western Wednesday, featuring barbeque nachos and Ziegenbock beer at the concession stand. Two nights later is another Fireworks Friday, with a postgame fireworks show set to a unique soundtrack presented by SWEPCO and CBS-19.

First pitch for each game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., except for the Sunday game against the Marshals, which has been switched from a 2:05 p.m. scheduled first pitch to a 6:05 p.m. start.

Keep up with the Pump Jacks' fifth anniversary season on www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation and interact with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.

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Texas Collegiate League Stories from July 14, 2012


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