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Strong Pitching Secures Jacks' Fifth in a Row

July 4, 2013 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


Nick Rossetta pitched eight shutout innings to help the East Texas Pump Jacks to a 4-2 win in the final game of the first half of the season.

The East Texas Pump Jacks rolled into the end of the first half of the season at an even .500 thanks to a 4-2 win over the Victoria Generals on Wednesday night. The win marked the Jacks fifth in a row for their longest win streak of the season. Behind excellent pitching from Jacks starter Nick Rossetta the Jacks swept the Generals as Rossetta pitched eight shutout innings allowing five hits and striking out eight batters.

The Jacks jumped onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, chalking up three runs. Garrett McMullen opened the frame with an infield single and stole second. Nate Esposito advanced to first after being hit by a pitch for the second inning in a row. Ryan Hope earned the first RBI of the inning with a double down the third baseline to plate McMullen. The double was Hope's first extra base hit on the season and his eighth RBI in his last seven games.

Esposito crossed home for the second run of the inning on a wild pitch and Wes Edrington drove Hope home from third with a sacrifice fly for the third run, putting the Jacks ahead 3-0.

The Pump Jacks' defense came to the aid of Rossetta to help tally two more zeros in both the fifth and sixth inning. After a leadoff single to start the fifth, the Jacks infield turned a dazzling double play. Mark Mathias backhanded a ball up the middle who flipped to Edrington covering the bag at second base who threw onto first where Hope dug the ball out of the dirt completing the double play. Then after yet another single, Rossetta battled back to strikeout the final batter of the inning.

In the sixth, Devon Conleyrobbed the Generals of a run on a great outfield assist, nabbing a runner at third base after back-to-back singles to start the inning. Rossetta once again ended the inning with a strikeout, this time stranding a runner at third to keep the shutout in place.

East Texas added another run in the sixth thanks to a great two-out rally. Edrington kept the Pump Jacks alive smashing a double to deep left center. Conley followed with a bloop single into right to score Edrington from second, and give the Jacks a 4-0 lead.

In a gutsy move, Rossetta battled on into the eighth inning and was able to work his way out of a bases loaded jam. Rossetta started out the inning strong with a ground out, but then after issuing two walks and hitting a batter, Rossetta found himself with the bases loaded with just the lone out. After a meeting at the mound, pitching Coach Nic Mishler decided to leave Rossetta in, and the righty from Long Beach State University rewarded his faith. Rossetta kept the shutout intact and finished his outing in dramatic fashion; getting Jace Reece to strike out looking and fanning Mac Seibert to end the inning.

After only utilizing one pitcher through eight innings, things got interesting in the ninth as the Jacks sent three pitchers to the mound. Ben Mordini started out the inning, but after issuing back-to-back walks without recording an out his night was done. Don Sullivan relieved Mordini and was able to record the first out, but then allowed a single from Drew Featherston that bounced over the glove of an outstretched Bitow at third to score the Marshals first run of the game 4-1.

With runners on first and third the Jacks brought in Kenny Oakley. He walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and after a fielder's choice ground out drove in the second run of the game for the Generals, 4-2. Oakley induced another grounder to end the game, stranding the tying runs on the base paths. Oakley earned his second save of the season as Rossetta picked up his third win, improving to 3-1 and lowering his ERA to 1.57.

The Pump Jacks open the second half of the season with a four-game road trip before returning to Driller for the 2012 TCL All-Star Game. Future major leaguers will descend on historic Driller Park for the first TCL All-Star Game hosted by the Pump Jacks. Pregame festivities include a home run derby, with will include representatives from each of the six teams, as well as an all-star autograph session.

Tickets for the TCL All-Star Game can be purchased online at pumpjacksbaseball.com, in person at the Pump Jacks office at 106 North Kilgore Street, #201, in downtown Kilgore, or at the ticket office at Driller Park the night of a game.

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