Painter powers Portland

CELINA, Ohio - Randy Miller had been holding a trump card. Wednesday night, he finally played it.

Miller gave Jensen Painter his first start, and the pitcher rewarded the Portland Rockets' manager with six innings of one-hit baseball to lead a 6-1 victory over the host Grand Lake Mariners.

Painter shut down Grand Lake, which swept a double-header from the Rockets Sunday, as he struck out seven batters. He gave up one run on one hit to earn the win.

Jay County High School graduate Heath Williams started both scoring runs for Portland (3-3).

In the third inning he led off with a single, and Cameron Brannock followed with a walk. Consecutive hits from Painter, Riley Muhlenkamp and Ryan Shell put the Rockets up 3-0.

Again in the sixth Williams led off with a single, and Brannock and Painter added hits as part of another three-run from.

Williams, Painter, Brannock and Shell all finished with two hits.

A pair of local pitchers followed Painter on the mound. Josh Atkinson (JCHS) threw two scoreless innings, and South Adams graduate Dan Bollenbacher tossed a scoreless ninth.[[In-content Ad]]