Rockets split with Patriots

The Portland Rockets played two close games Saturday, splitting an evening doubleheader with the Northwest Patriots, winning 8-7 and falling 2-1.

The Rockets exploded early in game one, unloading all eight of their runs in the first two innings.

The Rockets got it going on a sacrifice fly to right from Jay County High School graduate Josh Ludy to tie the game up 1-1 after one.

Ludy, who finished his first season with the Baylor University baseball team, was playing in his first game for the Rockets this season and gunned down the first Patriot baserunner trying to steal second.

After dropping another run in the bottom of the second, Portland opened the third with a bases clearing RBI triple before pounding double after double to punish the Patriots' pitcher for seven runs in the second.

The offensive production went cold after that, but the lead was enough as the Rockets rode out the cushion to hold on to the one-run win.

South Adams High School grad Dan Bollenbacher got his first start and first win for the Rockets, going four innings, giving up four runs on eight hits.

Leadoff hitter Cameron Brannock lit up the Patriots for three hits and Andy Hughes notched two as the Rockets combined for 10 hits in the game.

The Rockets used up all their hits in game one as the team struggled to find an offensive rhythm in a game two pitchers' duel.

Holding on to a 1-0 lead off a Ludy RBI that brought in Kris Gotschall, JCHS grad Josh Atkinson carried a three-hit shutout into the seventh inning.

With two outs in the seventh, the Patriots kept the inning alive on an infield single hit right back at him that was too hot to handle. The Patriots capitalized on the hit and slapped in two runs on a single to steal the night game from the hometown boys.

The Rockets (11-9) will head to Decatur Tuesday to face the Decatur Dirty Birds at Bellmont High School.[[In-content Ad]]