Rockets are runners-up

CINCINNATI - A fourth tournament victory earned the Portland Rockets a trip to the championship game. But their depleted pitching staff could not hold down Detroit Jet Box a second time.

Portland, which topped the Cincinnati Cobalts 12-5 in Saturday's semifinal round, lost 10-3 Saturday evening to Detroit Jet Box in the National Amateur Baseball Federation regional tournament.

The Rockets earned a 3-2 win over Detroit, which advances to the NABF World Series in Louisville, in pool play Friday.

In its fifth tournament game in three days, Portland was forced to use committee of pitchers who had all already seen action in the tournament. They were without hurlers Eric Van Matre and Josh Shatto, a Jay County High School graduate, because of injuries.

Ethan Tribolet, who won the tournament opener Thursday, kept the Rockets (35-13) in the game as they tied the score at two in the top of the fifth inning. However, Detroit tallied six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to pull away.

Josh Atkinson (JCHS) tossed scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, but Portland could not mount a comeback.

The Rockets' runs in the fifth inning came on a double-steal by Chris Gottschall and Jensen Painter, and a Ryan Shell RBI double.

Painter led the Portland offense against Cincinnati in the semifinal round with a three-run home run, a two-run home run and an RBI double. He racked up six RBIs and 10 total bases as he and Gottshall each finished with three hits.

Cameron Branock added four hits.

Nick Bruns went seven innings for the win, allowing four runs on 11 hits. He struck out seven batters and was helped by two double plays. Catcher Josh Ludy also threw out a runner attempting to steal.

Painter led the Rockets with 11 RBIs and seven hits in the tournament as he posted a .438 average. He also scored five times.

Bryan Brudi hit a team-best .467 with seven hits, and Gottschall and Branock each totaled seven hits and six runs.

Among JCHS graduates, Ludy had four hits and four runs while walking six times, Heath Williams notched four hits and three runs and Thomas McCowan added three hits and one run.

On the hill, Atkinson allowed just one earned run while striking out eight batters in 5 2/3 innings. Daniel Bollenbacher (South Adams) gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings and had four strikeouts.

After barely playing .500 ball for the first 17 games of the season, Portland won 26 of its final 31 games.[[In-content Ad]]