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Pump Jacks Roster Filling out for Father's Day Weekend

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


With the 2013 TCL season kicking into high gear, the East Texas Pump Jacks have reinforcements coming in... lots of them.

The defending champions had a short bench early in the season as they awaited the arrival of more than one-third of their roster, many of them players from the West Coast. The reinforcements started to show on Tuesday, when 6-foot-8 pitcher Jacob Kelzer flew in from Indiana University, but more are expected in the next several days. Four new pitchers and a hitter will join the roster by the end of the weekend, coming from places both near and far.

The additions bolster a club that has had no trouble putting runs on the board this season. In 11 games, the Pump Jacks are averaging six runs per game and leading the league with a .299 batting average.

The reinforcements are arriving just in time for Father's Day weekend, when the Jacks welcome the Texas Marshals to historic Driller Park for a two-game series. Saturday night is a giveaway of soft-core logo baseballs bearing the TCL All-Star Game logo, while a plethora of specials are lined up for Father's Day and Sunday Fun Day.

Don Sullivan comes to East Texas after a standout freshman year at Riverside City College. Sullivan was a key contributor to a Riverside squad that finished second in the Orange Empire Conference, one of the top junior college conferences in the country. Though only a freshman, he led the Tigers out of the bullpen with an impressive 0.83 ERA in 21.2 innings. In 14 appearances, Sullivan posted a 3-1 record with one save and sixteen strikeouts.

An imposing presence on the mound, J.J. Franklin worked as a starter and out of the pen during his sophomore year at Cal Poly Pomona. He started six games and relieved in ten, striking out 28 in 40.2 innings. Franklin brings experience in summer collegiate ball, too, having led the Hawaii Aliis to the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League title in 2012. The 6-foot-5 righty posted a 3.12 ERA in 40.2 innings in Hawaii, where Perfect Game named him one of the league's top 15 prospects.

The Jacks didn't have to look far for one of their new pitchers, Kilgore native Riley Toler. After quarterbacking for Navarro College in the fall, Toler transferred to Tyler Junior College to round out his freshman year. In 11.1 innings over 14 appearances, he struck out 11 and posted a 2.77 ERA.

As a senior at Kilgore High School, Toler was named honorable mention all-state as a third basemen after batting .429 with eight doubles, three triples, and 30 RBI.

Rounding out the new arms is Evan Schreiber from Northwestern. The San Diego native only made one appearance for the Wildcats this past season, but it was a solid one. In his collegiate debut, Schreiber came out of the pen to strike out the very first batter he faced, and then went on to pitch two scoreless innings, allowing only two hits.

Joining Schreiber in the journey to East Texas is teammate Zach Jones. Jones, an infielder for the Wildcats, finished the season fourth on Northwestern - and first among freshman - with an impressive .300 batting average. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the week twice, both in the span of less than a month.

The reinforcements are not the only new thing at Driller Park this weekend; Saturday will be the first giveaway of the season at historic Driller Park. The Pump Jacks will be giving away free soft-core logo baseballs featuring the mark of the 2013 TCL All-Star Game. The first 100 fans in the gate will receive a free baseball; gates open at 6:00 p.m., with game time scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Sunday is the first Pump Jacks Sunday Fun Day of the season, presented by theGOspot.com. Join the fiesta at the ballpark, featuring $2.50 chips and salsa and $2.50 frozen margaritas and Bud Light Lime Straw-ber-ritas. For the kids, the Pump Jacks will have face painting available, as well as special on-field contest. This marks the first of five Sunday Fun Day promotions, each one presented by theGOspot.com.

This Sunday is also Father's Day, and the Jacks are making Driller Park the place to be for dads on Sunday night. Families will enjoy a free upgrade from grandstand to upper box seats, so dad can catch the game in style. He can pick up a "dad-sized" meal from the concessions stand for a low price, too. Dads even have the chance to throw out a ceremonial first pitch... either to a Pump Jacks player or their own son!

Tickets are available in advance online, by phone, or at the Pump Jacks office at 106 North Kilgore Street, #201 in downtown Kilgore. Tickets are also available at Driller Park's ticket office the night of each game.

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