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10/07/2012 12:35
East Texas remains the top-ranked team in the TCL and one of the nation’s elite teams
The East Texas Pump Jacks remain among the top-12 teams in the country according to Perfect Game’s newest national rankings, released Tuesday. The new placement at #11 nationally represents a slight dip from last week’s record ranking of #7, but the Pump Jacks are still the highest-ranked team in the Texas Collegiate League.
The Pump Jacks have been ranked in every single Perfect Game rankings so far this summer, debuting three weeks ago at #22, slotting in at #15 the following week, and earning the highest ranking in franchise history last week, when they checked in at #7. The poll considers more than 250 summer collegiate teams from across the United States and Canada.
Perfect Game is an Iowa-based organization that is considered the country’s top resource in baseball player recruiting, particularly at the high school and college ages. In addition to the national summer collegiate poll, Perfect Game conducts player showcases throughout the country.
In the fourth poll of the 2012 season, the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League continue to be ranked #1, placing there for the fourth week in a row. The second place team has changed, however, as the Mankato Moondogs of the Northwoods League have jumped to #2, with the Keene Swamp Bats of the New England Collegiate League sitting at #3. The Amsterdam Mohawks of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League are now ranked #4, with a second NECBL team, the Newport Gulls, rounding out the top five.
The Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod League dropped five spots in the rankings, from #2 to #7, allowing the other teams to pass them. The Cape Cod League continues to be the most oft-mentioned league in the rankings, placing three teams in the top-10 this week, and six teams in the top-30 overall to lead all collegiate summer leagues.
For the second week in a row, the only other TCL team mentioned in the poll was the Victoria Generals, who were among the teams also receiving consideration for the top-30. The Generals and Pump Jacks finished the first half of the season as the top two teams in the TCL, earning automatic berths in the TCL playoffs at the end of the season.
The Pump Jacks continue their strong season tonight at Driller Park, when they host the Brazos Valley Bombers for the first time in 2012. It is also Family Night at Driller, where families of four can take in all the excitement of Pump Jacks Baseball for only $10, and can add a meal of a hot dog, a bag of chips and a soft drink for each family member for only $15 more.
On Wednesday and Thursday the Pump Jacks remain at home to play the Alexandria Aces. Wednesday will be Western Wednesday, where fans can enjoy barbeque nachos and Ziegenbock beer at the concession stand. Thursday night is another Thirsty Thursday, featuring 50-cent soft drinks, $1 draft beers and $3 frozen margaritas to help fans beat the East Texas heat.
First pitch for each game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Keep up with the Pump Jacks’ fifth anniversary season on www.pumpjacksbaseball.com. Join the conversation and interact with other members of Pump Jacks Nation by visiting the Jacks on Facebook and Twitter.
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