Rockets open WBC Friday

The Portland Rockets open World Baseball Congress tournament play in primetime Friday.
Portland (25-11) kicks off pool play in the four-team tournament with an 8 p.m. match-up against the Miami Valley Wolverines.
In the day’s first game, the Fort Wayne Jackers will take on the Summit City Sluggers.
The Rockets will continue the round-robin format Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. game against the Jackers and will play the Sluggers at 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines will face the Jackers at noon and the Sluggers at 5 p.m.
Following pool play, seeding will be determined by overall record. In the event of identical records, head-to-head record, run differential, runs against and runs scored will be used to determine seeds.
On Sunday, the coaches will decide whether or not to play a one-game final or have two semifinal games — at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. respectively — with the championship game to be played at 4 p.m.
All games will be played at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field.
After starting the season 7-7, Portland has gone 18-4, including a 10-game win streak from July 13 through 26. During that span, the Rockets outscored their opponents 67-28.
Portland, which won the Fort Wayne League title with a 14-3 record, went 2-4 against the Jackers this season and has beaten the Sluggers all three times they have met.
Friday’s game with the Wolverines, who hail from Dayton, Ohio, will be the first time the two teams meet this year.