Jacks sign two more
BASEBALL
From special reports

According to the athletics web site for Saint Louis University - where teams carry the nickname "Billikens" - a Billiken is a 100-year-old figure that was believed to bring its owner good, better, or best luck.

The East Texas Pump Jacks are hoping that having two Billikens makes the team doubly lucky.

The Pump Jacks added Saint Louis pitcher Scott Turmail and outfielder J.D. Dunn to the team's inaugural roster on Wednesday. Turmail and Dunn join Texas A&M catcher Andrew Nettune, the fledgling franchise's first signee.

The Pump Jacks begin their inaugural Texas Collegiate League season on June 10, when the team travels to face the McKinney Marshals, last year's champions. Twenty-four of the team's 48 games this season will be played at Driller Park.

Turmail is the Billikens' number one starter, leading the staff in nearly every major pitching category. The junior righthander has a team-high five wins against just two losses in eight starts, including three complete games, one shutout, and a save in his only relief appearance. Turmail's 3.30 ERA is easily tops in the Saint Louis rotation, and he has allowed just 58 hits in a teamhigh 62.2 innings pitched. His most potent weapon, though, is his control. Turmail has 43 strikeouts against just 7 walks on the season, an amazing ratio of more than six strikeouts for every walk he surrenders.

As a result of his impeccable control, Turmail leads the Atlantic 10 conference in striking out batters looking and he's registered the fewest walks, even while leading the conference in innings pitched. He also ranks among A-10 leaders in wins, ERA, strikeouts, and opponents' batting average (.243). Turmail has twice been recognized as the Atlantic 10's Pitcher of the Week this season, the only repeat winner in the conference in 2008.

This success should come as no surprise to Saint Louis fans considering Turmail's track record. As a sophomore at Forest Park Community College, Turmail went 8-3 with a 3.20 ERA, helping lead the squad to a conference championship. As usual, his control was the story, as he struck out 56 batters in 64 innings, but walked only six. Turmail graduated from Hazelwood Central High School in Florissant, Mo. as the school's all-time leader in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. He was named first-team all-state as both a junior and a senior, combining for a 15-2 record in that span with an ERA hovering around 1.50. Turmail, whose older brother Kevin was a Florida Marlins draft choice in 2004, played at Long Beach State as a freshman before transferring to Forest Park for a breakout sophomore campaign.

While Turmail is Saint Louis' leader on the mound, Dunn is surely a team leader at the plate and on the basepaths. Described by a former opposing coach as a "table setter you put at the top of the lineup," Dunn is third on the Billikens with a .303 average. He leads the squad in home runs (3), runs scored (25), total bases (50), slugging percentage (.459), and on-base percentage (.437). But Dunn does most of his damage once he gets on base. He has a team-high 18 stolen bases, good for third in the A- 10. Dunn has been caught stealing just twice this season; he is perfect in stealing second.

The fleet-footed center fielder started 33 games for the Billikens in 2007 before a broken finger sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He was a solid contributor as he acclimated himself to the college game, at one point earning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors. Dunn prepped at Centennial High School in Franklin, Tenn., where he racked up a series of all-conference and all-district selections. As a senior, he batted .454 with 20 stolen bases and twice hit for the cycle.

Season tickets for the Pump Jacks inaugural season are on sale now. For more information on upper and lower box seats, in-your-seat wait service, the Pump Jacks Premier Club, and all there is to know about season tickets for the inaugural season, visit the team's web site at pumpjacksbaseball.com; stop by the team's offices at 1100 Stone Road, Suite 120 in Kilgore; or call the Pump Jacks at their brand new office phone, (903) 218-GO ET.