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Pump Jacks Sweep the Bombers as Regular Season Winds Down

August 10, 2011 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


Tuesday night was the final home game of the 2011 East Texas Pump Jacks regular season.

But don't lock the doors at historic Driller Park quite yet.

The Pump Jacks head to Alexandria on Wednesday for a two-game set to end the regular season. The Jacks will kick off the postseason on the road Friday either against the Victoria Generals or Brazos Valley Bombers.

With the first playoff game less than three days away, the Pump Jacks bats are hitting their stride at the perfect time.

Shutting out the Bombers Monday night 9-0 in a total-team effort, the Jacks did the same Tuesday to come from down 4-0 to top Brazos Valley 9-5 in the regular season home finale in front of an energetic Driller Park crowd.

The Jacks posted nine runs and 13 of their 16 hits after the third inning while starter James Guillen and Andy Steinmetz combined on the hill in the Jacks win.

Guillen picked up his fifth win in his tenth start of the season. The USC hurler tossed seven innings allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits while striking out three. Guillen allowed the four earned runs in the top of the third but settled down quickly, retiring the next ten Bombers he faced in order.

Steinmetz came on in relief in the eighth inning, allowing only one hit and striking out two to pick up his second save of the season. The Central Arkansas senior has an impressive 0.89 ERA in 20.1 innings.

A night after picking up an inside-the-park home run off the right field wall, Seth Granger picked up his team-leading ninth double and his TCL-leading fifth triple.

Hunter Dozier had a pair of RBI singles. Nathan Pittman went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Ryan Small went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Zach Benson had his best game as a Pump Jack, getting the starting nod at third base and going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Tyler Girouard scored twice and went 3-for-4 to continue his hot streak at the plate. Ryan Moore went 2-for-2, picking up his first extra base hit of the season with a double.

After getting shutout the night before, the Bombers struck first Tuesday, posting four runs on four hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch in the top of the third, giving them the 4-0 advantage.

The Jacks responded with four of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning. Marlow and Girouard led off the home half with back-to-back singles. Small delivered on a hit-and-run, scoring Marlow from second and giving the Jacks their first run of the contest. Girouard and Small advanced a bag on a well executed sacrifice bunt by Benson before Pittman cleared the bases with a single up the middle, knotting the contest at 4-4.

Girouard got things going with two outs in the bottom of the fifth with a double. Small reached on a knuckling line drive that hit off the Bombers shortstop's glove, scoring Girouard from second. Benson picked up his third RBI of the season scoring Small on a single to give the Jacks the 6-4 lead through five innings.

The Bombers cut the lead in half in the seventh with an RBI fielder's choice by Brennyn Smith.

Steinmetz came on in the eighth, allowed a single but quickly sat the Bombers down with the Jacks leading 6-5.

Pittman and Moore belted back-to-back singles to lead off the eighth. Pittman was picked off in a close call at third base in a double steal attempt. Dozier then picked up his second RBI single of the night, scoring Moore from second. Granger smashed a ball off the right field wall, scoring Dozier on a stand-up triple. Granger came into score on a sacrifice fly from Beau Maggi, handing Steinmetz a 9-5 lead in the top of the ninth.

A Bomber reached on an error by Dozier to lead off the top of the ninth but Steinmetz shut the door on Brazos Valley, striking out one and inducing a groundout and a fly out to give the Jacks the two-game sweep.

The Pump Jacks head to Alexandria on Wednesday for a two-game set to round out the regular season against the Aces.

Having clinched a playoff berth by winning the first half and securing home field advantage throughout the postseason by claiming the best overall record, the Jacks will open the playoffs on the road Friday with the opponent and location being determined as as late as Thursday night.

The Jacks then return home to historic Driller Park on Saturday for game two. If necessary, game three will also take place at Driller Park.

To follow all the news and to watch every pitch of the 2011 season, visit the Pump Jacks official web site at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Interact with other Pump Jacks fans and enjoy special promotions and polls by visiting the Pump Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.

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