FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
One day after saying good bye to a starting pitcher on a roll, the East Texas Pump Jacks welcomed a new pitcher starting a roll of his own.
Newcomer Matthew Sparks gave up just two hits and no runs in six innings in the Pump Jacks’ 4-2 victory over the Coppell Copperheads Sunday night in Coppell. The win completed a two-game sweep of the defending champs and vaulted the Jacks into third place, a game ahead of the Copperheads. East Texas is 4½ games behind the first-place McKinney Marshals and a half-game in back of the Brazos Valley Bombers for second place.
Sparks (1-0), a sophomore out of Northern Oklahoma College-Enid, retired six of the first seven batters he faced Sunday night and didn’t allow a hit until two outs into the third inning. He walked three and struck out six, allowing only one runner to reach third base.
The native of Owasso, Okla., comes to the Pump Jacks following a spring in which he went 5-4 with a 3.81 ERA for the NOC-Enid. Despite his slight stature (5’11”, 160 pounds), Sparks was second on the Jets in innings pitched (73.1) and third in strikeouts (62). He allowed just 16 walks, finishing with a team-best 3.88 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
While Sparks was shutting down the Copperheads, the Jacks were slowly building a lead. East Texas grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the third inning on a two-out RBI single by Adam De La Garza. De La Garza drove in J.D. Dunn, who led off the frame with a single and stole second to move into scoring position.
The Jacks added two more runs in the sixth inning. Dexter Moreno singled to right with one out, then advanced to third when Garrett Smith reached on an error by the Coppell shortstop. After Smith stole second, Pat McCrory doubled to left to drive in both baserunners and give the Jacks a 3-0 lead.
Dunn scored another run in the ninth, again after leading off the inning with a double. Smith’s infield single moved Dunn over to third, and De La Garza’s infield hit gave the Jacks their fourth run of the game.
The Copperheads inched closer in the seventh inning, grabbing an unearned run off of reliever Luke Burnett. The Seattle Mariners draft pick recovered nicely, though, stranding the bases loaded in the seventh and pitching a scoreless eighth. He allowed the one unearned run on one hit and three walks, striking out four in two innings.
McCrory, who started the game at third, took the mount in the ninth inning to close out the game. With a 4-1 advantage, the Kilgore native allowed a disputed solo home run down the left field line that many thought actually went foul. With the score now 4-2, the Copperheads would put the tying run on base, but McCrory recovered to earn his first save of the season.
At the plate, De La Garza, Dunn, and Moreno each had two hits, helping the Jacks outhit Coppell, 9-5. De La Garza and McCrory each drove in two runs, and Dunn scored twice.
The Pump Jacks continue their six-game, seven-day road trip with a visit to Brazos Valley (Tuesday and Wednesday) before finishing the trip against McKinney (Thursday and Friday).
The Pump Jacks will return to East Texas next Saturday, July 19. Upon their return, fans will have a chance to pick up a new giveaway at the ballpark – plus some autographed memorabilia. On Saturday, July 19, the Pump Jacks will be giving away ThunderStix – the logo-emblazoned inflatable noisemakers made famous at sporting events around the globe – courtesy of the Kilgore News Herald. The first 500 fans will receive a pair of ThunderStix featuring the Pump Jacks logo on one side and the Kilgore News Herald’s logo on the other.
Fans will have a chance to pick up some great Pump Jacks autographed memorabilia as well on Saturday. The Jacks will be giving away a select number of team-signed baseballs and autographed bats throughout the game. Four Pump Jacks players have already been drafted by Major League teams, and it’s quite possible that anyone on the Jacks can follow in the footsteps of Hunter Pence and Clay Buchholz from the TCL to Major League stardom. This is your chance to pick up autographed memorabilia from the Pump Jacks inaugural season, so don’t miss it!
Next Sunday, July 20, the Jacks will host Family Night for the second game of their series against the Copperheads. Pump Jacks Family Night offers fans a family four-pack of grandstand tickets for just $12 – up to 40% off the regular price of the tickets. Fans also have the option of adding a family-pack of meals – including hot dogs, soft drinks, and chips for four – for an additional $13. That’s four tickets for just $12, or four tickets and four meals for a total of $25, making Family Night the best entertainment deal in East Texas!
The Jacks will then take on the Brazos Valley Bombers for a two-game set on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 22 and 23. On Tuesday night, Pump Jacks fans can enjoy Two Dollar Tuesdays, when the team will offer discounts on select meals, food, and drinks, discounting each one to just two dollars. And on Wednesday, show your colors for Pump Jacks Pride Wednesdays. Fans that wear their Pump Jacks gear on Wednesday nights will receive half-price grandstand tickets for the game. Wear a shirt, bring your cap, or even make your own gear to prove you’re part of Pump Jacks Nation, and you’ll get in for half price at the gate.
Tickets for the remainder of the Jacks’ inaugural season schedule are on sale now. Fans may purchase tickets at the Pump Jacks office at 1100 Stone Road, Suite 120, in Kilgore, or over the phone at (903) 218-GO ET. Tickets may also be purchased online – and printed at home on any home printer – by visiting www.pumpjacksbaseball.com.
Single-game tickets start at $5 each – or $4 for children and seniors – for grandstand general admission tickets. Upper Box seats are $8 each, and Lower Box seats, which feature in-your-seat wait service, are only $10 per ticket.
