Rockets miss chances

The Rockets were able to get the timely hits in game one for a 7-2 win.
It wasn’t the same story in the second game, as Portland left the bases loaded three times in a 5-3 loss, splitting a doubleheader with the Summit City Sluggers.
In game two, Portland (7-7) had the bases juiced in the top half of the first inning with no outs, but only managed to score once on a one-out walk by Alex Delk. Collin Affolder, a 2014 South Adams High School graduate, hit a soft grounder to pitcher Brock Gower to start a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
The Sluggers took control of the game in the third, scoring three runs off Portland starter Dan Bollenbacher, thanks to RBI hits by Kyle Norris and Evan Brown, and John Timmerman’s sacrifice fly.
Bollenbacher, a 2008 SAHS graduate, gave up four runs — two earned — on nine hits while striking out eight and walking two in five innings of work.
Portland had runners in scoring position in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but were unable to capitalize on the opportunities.
With the Rockets railing 4-1 in the fifth, Dalton Tinsley reached on an error by Zack McKinstry at second to start the bottom half of the frame. Billy Geeslin, who finished with three hits on the day, ripped a double down the right field line. Kyle Norris threw a seed from right field to Andy Rosen behind the plate to cut down Tinsley at home for the first out of the inning.
After a Geoff Bowers grounded out to Brown at third, Kyle Markle and Delk drew back-to-back walks to load the bases again. Just like the first inning, however, the Rockets weren’t able to take advantage.
“More games are lost than won, and we lost that one,” said Portland coach Randy Miller. “(We had) opportunities squandered (and) situational at bats didn’t go our way.
“They would get a walk, stolen base and a single and score that easy. For us, it was a labor to get anything going offensively and we ended up with three runs.”
Summit City extended its lead to 5-1 with a run in the sixth, and the Rockets finally ended their scoreless drought in the bottom of the seventh.
Dillon Bell and Bowers smacked back-to-back singles and Markle followed with a walk to load the bases for a third time. Geeslin scored on a sacrifice fly by Delk, and Bowers plated a run on a single by Affolder to cut the deficit to 5-3.
Justin Miller, who reached in five of his previous six at bats, went down swinging for the second out.
Gary Williams drew a two-out walk to load the bases once more, but the threat ended on a ground out to Elbert Devarie at short.
“To give our guys credit, they did scratch until the end,” Miller said. “But we have to have more killer instinct. Sometimes we can look like we’re ready to turn our season completely around.”
The pitching of Mitch Waters and Delk’s bat led Portland to the win in game one.
Waters, a 2002 Jay County High School graduate, went the distance for the Rockets, giving up two earned runs on five hits while striking out 10.
“It was a much better day than it’s been all year,” said Waters, who has been dealing with a broken finger on his glove hand. “You get old and you don’t play in the spring like a lot of these young guys, so getting back on the mound is almost a chore.
“It’s coming together. I’m spotting up better and my velocity is better.”
Portland took the lead, 3-2, in the fifth on a leadoff walk by Miller and a single by Delk.
A throwing error by Summit City pitcher Joey Covington allowed Miller to score, and Geeslin drove in Delk.
The next inning, Delk deposited a 1-0 pitch over the fence in left field for a three-run home run off Quinten Smith.
Delk finished with three hits on the weekend — all coming in the first game — and was a triple shy of the cycle. He also scored twice, and drew a pair of walks in game two.
Waters then struck out the side in the seventh to get the win.
“He was good, no doubt,” Summit City coach Mark De La Garza said of Waters. “I knew coming in when I heard he was throwing we were going to have our hands full.”
“He just threw strikes and got them out.”[[In-content Ad]]