Rockets launch with win at Geneva (06/01/06)

GENEVA — One former Jay County pitcher couldn’t go because of an arm injury. No matter, another jumped in and got the job done.

Mitch Waters, a 2002 JCHS grad, filled in for scheduled starter and fellow JCHS alum Pete Byrum and picked up the victory as the Portland Rockets took their season opener 11-4 over the Geneva Cardinals Wednesday.

Waters, who finished second in the nation for saves in Division III this year at Manchester College, took the hill on short notice and delivered five shutout innings before losing some control in the sixth. He gave up all three of his runs in the sixth, thanks mostly to four walks.

He recorded the victory, striking out four and allowing just three hits before giving way to Chad Casey for the final three frames.

“We were disappointed that Pete Byrum was not able to pitch, but Mitch was more than willing to take the ball,” said Portland manager Randy Miller. “He took care of business.”

Waters had plenty of offense behind him as the Rockets (1-0) got to Geneva starter Ricky Schnur in the first inning and scored a pair of runs in each of the opening four frames.

Schnur allowed a leadoff single to JCHS graduate Heath Williams, who was making his Rocket debut, and another Rocket newcomer, Django Whittington, followed with a walk.

Derek Lehrman drew a bases loaded walk to score Williams, and Whittington came home on a ground out by Nick Millspaugh for the 2-0 lead after one inning.

Whittington, Adam Childs, Brandon Cooley and Lehrman knocked four consecutive singles off Schnur in the second inning to score two runs.

Portland added two more in the third inning, and another two in the fourth as Lehrman and Phil Bruns each had a double.

“It’s hard to come back against a good team like that when you give up some runs early,” said Geneva manager Victor Canales, whose team dropped to 3-2. “The positive we can pull out of it is that it could have been 8-0. But our guys didn’t stop hitting. We’ve got some guys here who have come from some winning programs and just aren’t willing to sit down.”

Geneva broke the shutout against Waters in the sixth, and got its only other run in the ninth as Alex Childers (three walks) was hit by a pitch and scored on a single from Tony Aldridge.

Aldridge powered the Cardinals, going 2-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI. Colin Ziegel also had two hits, including a double.

Lehrman went 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs and a run for Portland before giving way to Todd Graves behind the plate. Graves then drove in a pair of runs with a double.

Whittington had two hits and three runs, and Lenny Koesters had two runs and two stolen bases. Cooley and Bruns each had a pair of hits.

Miller also praised the effort from Williams, whose father Rocky is a former Rocket.

“Heath Williams can pick it at second base,” said Miller. “For a little guy, he stings the ball, and I think he’s going to be a force all year for us.

“For the first game I thought we played pretty airtight. We took care of the details.”

The Cardinals and Rockets will see plenty of each other this year with four more regular-season meetings on the schedule. The next game between the two is Wednesday, June 14 at Geneva.

“It’s going to be an exciting rivalry,” said Canales, whose team is in its second season in Geneva after playing its inaugural season in Decatur in 2004. “The Rockets have always had the one-up on us. They have the established tradition and we’re trying to work to get that tradition. You’ve got to start somewhere.”[[In-content Ad]]