Rockets banish Napoleon

Win No. 1 is already in the books for the 50th anniversary season.

The Portland Rockets celebrated a half-century of baseball Sunday, starting their 2009 campaign with a 2-1 victory over the visiting Napoleon (Ohio) Riverbandits. The win had a distinct Jay County flavor.

Three of the five pitchers who combined on a three-hitter were Jay County High School graduates. And one of them, Mitch Waters, scored the winning run.

Portland needed just a single hit for each of its runs, the second coming after a single by Waters. He advanced on an error, and later scored on an RBI ground out from Dustin Woods.

An error also contributed to the Rockets' run in the first inning after 2004 JCHS graduate Heath Williams led off the game with a walk. He stole second base, and moved on to third when the throw skipped into the outfield. Waters then drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

Waters (JCHS - 2002), who had two of his team's three hits, also pitched the first four innings. He gave up just one hit as he extended his hot streak after finishing 13-0 last season.

Ethan Tribolet, Jay County graduates Josh Atkinson and Josh Shatto, and South Adams graduate Dan Bollenbacher tossed the final five innings.

Jensen Painter also had a hit for the Rockets.[[In-content Ad]]