Geeslin silences Ohio

Billy Geeslin’s elbow must be feeling fine.
The Portland Rockets starter blew through the visiting Ohio Warhawks, striking out 12 batters in six innings Tuesday in a 7-2 victory at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field.
“It’s been a long two years,” said Geeslin, who pitched for Urbana University in the spring. “I had Tommy John (surgery) last year in April and to be honest this is the best it’s felt this summer and I’m just looking to build from here.”
Ohio collected two singles and a walk off of Geeslin in the first, scoring a run on a ball that sailed over third baseman Thomas McCowan’s head and out of play.
But after allowing a leadoff double in the second, Geeslin locked down and never let go.
He struck out the side to close out the second inning, then fanned two in the fourth and fifth and another three, including one on a dropped third strike, in the sixth.
“I had a really good pace tonight. Last couple outings I’ve had some things happen that kind of messed up my rhythm a little bit,” Geeslin said. “But really it was just focusing on getting ahead in the count. I feel like that’s the biggest thing in my game.
“If I can get ahead of hitters it puts me in a really good position to put them away.”
“We kind of fell in love with the Geeslin strikeout,” said Rockets manager Randy Miller. “We kept him in an extra inning. He had 96 pitches but he wanted it. We let him have it.
“The game is about the starting pitching. Great pace. Great dominance from the mound.”
The great pitching didn’t stop after Geeslin exited the game. Ball State hurler Devin Wilburn came in for the final three frames, collecting another five strikeouts and picking up a save for the effort.
On the offensive end, the Rocket bats slowed down a bit after the 22-run game against the Fort Wayne Jackers Monday night as Portland finished with nine hits.
After the Rockets fell behind 1-0, Jay County High School graduates Billy Wellman and Mitch Waters drew walks to lead off the second inning and newcomer Zach Tanner hit an RBI single to tie the game.  McCowan, another JCHS graduate, followed with a single to drive in Waters and give Portland the lead.
The Rockets (11-4), who have won four in a row, added three more runs in the third inning. After Dalton Tinsely scored on a mishandled ball hit by Wellman, Waters took a 3-1 pitch deep to left-center field for his second home run in as many nights.
“I didn’t really get all of it,” said Waters, who hit a three-run shot in Monday’s victory. “I’m shocked that it went out. It was 3-1, a fastball over the plate, and I got enough of it.”
Waters reached base in three of his four plate appearances and scored all three times, continuing his hot streak at the plate after driving in five runs on Monday.
“It’s just a different approach from what I ever used to have,” Waters said of his discipline at the plate. “I’m older now so I know what I’m looking for instead of swinging at everything. So I’m just trying to find something over the plate I can handle well, get the front foot down and let it go.”
The Rockets have also seen a blossoming performance from first-year outfielder Grant Hendershot, who came in as a sub in the sixth inning and pounded a two-run triple in the eighth.
In the last three games, Hendershot is 6-of-8 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs.
“At the beginning of the season, I didn’t see much pitching, so it was a struggle,” said Hendershot. “(I’m) getting confident, getting more confident and last night kind of showed it.”[[In-content Ad]]