Zavos, Pump Jacks Walk off over Marshals

Published on July 3, 2012 under Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


Out of the gate, the game between the Texas Marshals and East Texas Pump Jacks looked for all the world like a game with minimal drama.

That certainly didn't end up being the case, as a pitcher's duel turned into a nail-biter before Nathan Zavos sent the fans home happy with a walk-off single to right, and sent the Pump Jacks to a 3-2 win on Tuesday night at Driller Park.

The first four innings were almost devoid of drama, as both starters- Blake Douglass for the visitors and Payton Smith for East Texas- were dealing early. The two pitchers allowed a combined three baserunners before the fifth inning, and none of those runners advanced further than first base. Smith struck out four batters in the first four frames, while Douglass fanned five as the score was 0-0 heading to the fifth.

That's when the Pump Jacks finally broke through. Kash Kalkowski was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and he stole second base. With one out in the inning following a groundout that advanced Kalkowski to third base, Logan Preston worked a walk. Colton Bickerstaff then hit a ground ball to second baseman Jesse Plumlee, who tried to turn the double play. Bickerstaff had other ideas, beating the ball to first base for an RBI fielder's choice that scored Kalkowski and gave the Pump Jacks a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth, it was a roller-coaster ride for Smith and the Jacks. A leadoff double from Evan Ramsey inside third base started things off on the right note for Texas. The next batter, however, Krey Bratsen, lined out to Logan Davis at shortstop, and Davis threw back to Kirby Pellant at second to eliminate Ramsey for the double play.

But Adam Toth reached on a two-out error, and it turned out to be costly for East Texas, as K.J. Alexander hit a two-run, go-ahead homer in the next at-bat to give the Marshals a 2-1 lead.

After being retired in order by Douglass in bottom of the sixth, East Texas came back to tie the game in the seventh inning. Consecutive singles from John Williams and Kalkowski got things started for the Pump Jacks. R.J. Santigate then hit a similar ball to second base that Bickerstaff had hit in the fifth. Also in similar fashion, a hustling Santigate beat the ball by a quarter-step to the first base bag when the Marshals tried to turn two, putting Williams at third base and runners on the corners with one out.

Bickerstaff came through again in the next at-bat with an RBI single to right-center field, scoring Williams to tie the game at 2-2.

Gerardo Esquivel then came in and worked out of jams in the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, the Marshals got a runner at second base with two outs due to a throwing error, but Esquivel retired Alexander with a nice athletic grab running towards first base to end the frame with the tie intact.

In the ninth, a walk, an errant pickoff throw and an intentional walk put runners on first and second with only one out. The right-hander for East Texas then induced a bouncing grounder to Santigate at third, and the Pump Jacks turned the huge double play to end the threat and send it to the bottom of the ninth.

It would be the last pitch the Marshals saw on the night. With one out, Santigate hit a grounder to shortstop Evan Ramsey, and a low throw to first allowed him to reach base on the error. Just like in the sixth inning for East Texas, this one would be costly for the Marshals. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Bickerstaff singled on a broken-bat liner to left field, advancing Santigate to second base.

Zavos then hit the first pitch he saw from reliever Kindle Ladd over a leaping Brandon Dixon at first base, bringing home Santigate with the game-winning run. It was the second walk-off win this summer for the Jacks, with the first coming back in their first completed home game on June 7 against the Alexandria Aces on a fielder's choice by Kevin O'Leary in the tenth.

For the Pump Jacks, Bickerstaff finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Kalkowski finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. Both starting pitchers pitched well, but neither factored into the decision as Esquivel (2-0) got the win with Ladd (0-1) taking the loss for the Marshals.

East Texas will now embark on a two-game road trip to The Woodlands to face the Strykers on Wednesday and Thursday nights. The Pump Jacks will then return home on Friday night to face off against the Marshals in the second Fireworks Friday of the season, presented by Patterson Motors of Kilgore and CBS-19. Fans can stay in their seats after the game to watch a spectacular fireworks show over the right field wall set to a unique soundtrack.

First pitch for each game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Texas Collegiate League Stories from July 3, 2012


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