Sports stats

Pump Jacks Season Ended Abruptly by Bombers

August 15, 2011 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


After all the awards, the accolades and the expectations, the 2011 season for the East Texas Pump Jacks has come to an end.

Unfortunately, that end came a few wins short of the team's goal.

In a win-or-go-home Game Three of the Divisional Series in the Texas Collegiate League playoffs, it was the Brazos Valley Bombers who advanced to the Championship Series with an 8-6 win over the Pump Jacks.

But East Texas certainly didn't go down with a fight.

Trailing 7-2 heading the bottom of the sixth inning, the Pump Jacks pulled within a run posting a four spot in the home half of the frame. However, the Jacks failed to push another run across the plate and the Bombers added a crucial insurance run in the top of the eighth, giving them the 8-6 lead they would not relinquish.

The Pump Jacks took Game One of the series on Friday night 4-2 in Brazos Valley. The Bomber evened the series Saturday night, topping the Jacks 5-2 at historic Driller Park. The Bombers will square off against the Coppell Copperheads for the 2011 TCL Championship, which kicks off Monday night in Brazos Valley.

The Jacks finished the regular season off with a TCL-best 40-19 record and had the #1 seed heading to postseason play.

It was the speedy combination of Nathan Pittman, Ty Marlow, Jace Statum and Ryan Moore at the bottom of the Jacks lineup that scored all six of the Jacks runs.

Moore went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI to lead the Jacks offensive attack. The Kansas State sophomore also stole three bases. Marlow went 2-for-5 while Pittman added a single. Statum walked three times.

2011 TCL Freshman of the Year Hunter Dozier went 2-for-5 with an RBI double. Kirby Pellant knocked in a pair of runs and All-TCL outfielder Seth Granger picked up his 38th RBI of the season. Tyler Girouard singled and had an RBI to round out the Jacks scoring attack.

Starter James Guillen tossed five innings, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out three. Four of the runs came in the top of the second inning on four hits from the Bombers. Guillen rebounded quickly, sitting down the next nine batters in order. He got help from his battery mate Beau Maggi with a "strike 'em out, throw 'em out" double play to end the second.

Donnie Hart pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits and striking out three. Andy Steinmetz came in with two away in the eighth and runners on second and third and got the final out by way of a strike out to end the Bombers' threat. He sat Brazos Valley down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, picking up another strikeout.

The Bombers got things going with a one-out double and a single before Guillen walked a batter to load the bases. Dozier fielded a hard-hit ground ball and threw it home but the home plate umpire ruled that Maggi's foot was off the plate, leading to a Bombers' run. Brazos Valley added three more runs on a pair of singles, giving them a 4-0 lead after two innings.

Moore led off the bottom of the third with a single and stole second and third. He scored on an infield groundout from Pellant, putting the score at 4-1.

Moore got things going again for the Jacks in the fifth, reaching on a bunt single. He stole second and scored on Dozier's double, pushing the score to 4-2 through five.

Brazos Valley posted three more runs in the top of sixth inning with a two RBI single from Greg Olson and an RBI single from Kevin Wirth.

The Jacks pulled within one run in the home half of the sixth, taking advantage of two bases-loaded walks. Girouard had an RBI single and Granger had a RBI sacrifice fly to put the score at 7-6.

Hart got two quick outs in the top of the eighth before walking the Bombers' number-nine batter Kevin Wirth. Herb Romero singled followed by an RBI double off the left field wall from Scott Arthur to push the Bombers' lead to 8-6.

The Jacks put runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the eighth before the Bombers brought in TCL Co-Closer of the Year Garrett Shepperd. The Texas State hurler sat down the six batters he faced to end the Jacks comeback attempt and their record-breaking season.



Texas Collegiate League Stories from August 15, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent East Texas PumpJacks Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central