Offensive victory

It looked as if the Portland Rockets were going to send their fans home early. But each time they built a big lead, they could not hold it.
They still walked away with a 22-14 victory Monday over the visiting Fort Wayne Jackers at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field, but it wasn’t a win they were pleased with.
“It was kind of disappointing we didn’t close it out,” said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose team led 5-0 after the first inning and 18-8 after the sixth. “We had some shoddy base-running, some shoddy fielding. … I fully expect more of these guys, and I think they do to. They don’t take great celebration in a win like this.”
Fort Wayne rallied from its early deficit to pull even in the top of the fourth inning, but the Rockets immediately responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Portland never trailed and pushed to an 18-8 advantage, but was unable to hold its 10-run lead to end the game early.
A couple of Jay County High School graduates helped lead the Rockets’ offense.
Billy Wellman, JCHS class of 2009, continued his hot streak by going 3-for-3 with a home run, five runs and three RBIs. He was 4-for-6 in Saturday’s doubleheader sweep of the Lima Buckeyes.
“It was a 2-0 count and I was thinking fastball, but I’m not sure if it was a cutter or just a spinning ball that didn’t do anything but he pretty much left it right over the plate,” said Wellman of his line shot over the left-field fence. “I saw it well and hit it pretty well.”
Mitch Waters, a 2002 JCHS graduate, tripled in the first inning and hit a three-run home run in the fourth as he drove in five runs and scored three times.
Grant Hendershot of Taylor University finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, five runs and two RBIs.
South Adams graduate Dan Bollenbacher started and gave up two runs in three innings, and Michael Caley earned the win in relief.[[In-content Ad]]