Split salvaged

It was a difficult Saturday. But the Rockets squeezed out a couple of wins Sunday.

Playing the last of a four-game weekend home stand Sunday, the Portland Rockets rallied from a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 win over Shady Nook on a squeeze play in the bottom of the seventh inning. That victory followed up a 1-0 win led by pitcher Ethan Tribolet.

Portland lost 9-5 and 5-4 Saturday to the visiting Michigan City Stars.

The weekend ended in exciting fashion after the Rockets trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Single runs in the fifth and the sixth pulled the home team even, and Jensen Painter drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

Eric Hillenbrand, Painter's teammate at Olney Central College in Illinois, laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. While Shady Nook threw out Hillenbrand easily at first base, it forgot about Painter. The bunt drew the third baseman in, and with the shortstop covering second, no one was left at third, allowing Painter to take the extra base and put the winning run 90 feet away.

After watching a pitch, Bryan Brudi ended the game as he laid down a squeeze bunt and Painter cruised across home plate without a throw to end the game.

Jay County High School graduate Andy Hughes delivered the game-tying hit an inning earlier with a two-out, pinch-hit single to center field.

Daniel Bollenbacher (South Adams) got the win as he faced the minimum in three scoreless innings of relief. He followed Josh Shatto (JCHS), who struck out seven batters in four innings.

Tribolet came out on top in a pitchers' duel in game one as he went the distance. He struck out eight batters while shutting out Shady Nook on just four hits.

He got support from a great defensive play as Brudi threw to catcher Thomas McCowan (JCHS) at the plate for an assist from right field.

Heath Williams (JCHS), who finished the weekend 6-of-11 at the plate, scored the only run of the game in the first inning.

Portland led 5-0 in Saturday's opening game against Michigan City as Eric Van Matre kept the Stars off the scoreboard. However, the Rocket bullpen lost control, allowing nine runs in the seventh inning.

Painter hit a two-run home run, and Hughes had an RBI in the game.

Josh Atkinson (JCHS) carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning of the second game. However, he gave up two runs in the fourth and Portland fell behind 5-0. They pulled to within a run in the sixth and got the tying and winning runs on base in the seventh, but could not finish off the comeback.[[In-content Ad]]