August 7, 2017 at 1:32 a.m.
Portland paves way to world series
Rockets beat Battle Creek 9-6 and 11-2 to win first regional title since 2012
Portland paves way to world series
Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
FORT WAYNE — There wasn’t much celebration.
The victory was already well in hand, so the final out was just a formality.
Facing elimination against a team that was the only loss of the tournament, the Portland Rockets avenged the earlier defeat to sweep the Battle Creek Behnke to win the National Amateur Baseball Federation Regional Tournament on Sunday at Carrington Field.
“Championship baseball has got many facets,” said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose team advances to the NABF World Series Thursday through Aug. 13 in Battle Creek, Michigan. It is just the second world series berth in the history of the Rockets, who last won regional in 2012. “Offense, defense, pitching, all around we had leadership qualities. We had timely hitting.
“All clicked for a double win today. The odds were not well stacked. They had beaten us in the first round. They are a formidable foe, obviously.”
It was a group of veteran Rockets who helped Portland (33-10) keep the team from Michigan at bay for most of the day.
In game one, it was Dan Bollenbacher, a South Adams High School graduate. The right-handed flamethrower allowed 10 hits over 8 1/3 innings while striking out six and walking three in a 9-6 victory. He allowed six earned runs before giving way to 2015 Jay County High School graduate with one out in the ninth. Jacks got one strikeout and a game-ending pop fly to get the save.
Game two saw Mitch Waters, a 2002 Jay County High School graduate who made his first start of the season, turn back the clock to the likes of 2012. The crafty veteran only gave up five hits, struck out four and walked one while also lasting eight innings. He gave up two earned runs in the third inning, which Portland responded by scoring 11 consecutive runs for an 11-2 win.
“It’s our core,” said Miller, whose team was bounced in the regional semifinal in each of the last two seasons. “We have been close. It always seems we are one pitcher away. We have Max Habegger, Zach Short (and) Derek Thobe.
“Today we had a Mitch Waters and a Dan Bollenbacher, like the old days. They used to be one and two back in the day and they were one-two again today. They were tough customers. They were champions.”
Waters, who tweaked a hamstring in the min-regional last weekend in Cincinnati and had been battling a sore shoulder for a few seasons now, didn’t try to blow the baseball past hitters like he had in the past. He mixed his fastball and timely offspeed, trying to outsmart hitters rather than overpower them.
“I didn’t think I could strike a lot of guys out today,” said Waters, who was on the bump when the Rockets clinched the franchise’s first world series berth. “When you haven’t pitched for a while that is kind of what happens. I was just trying to pitch to contact. I know we have a good defensive crew. I know we hit the ball. I figured if I kept it close and let them play we’d do it.”
In fact, Portland racked up 31 hits against Battle Creek, which beat the Rockets 2-1 on Friday and had a depleted pitching staff. Brandon Reamon led the way with five hits. Cody Krumlauf, Dalton Tinsley, Dustin Lewis and Collin Affolder each had four hits.
Krumlauf had a team-best six RBIs including four in the second game. Two of those RBIs came on a hard-hit liner up the middle that deflected off the Battle Creek pitcher and to the second baseman, who threw Krumlauf out at first.
“It is unbelievable,” Waters said. “The hitting team that we have this year is better than any team I think I’ve ever seen. Up and down throughout the order there is not an easy out. We always have fun together and I think a lot of our success, nobody thinks that they’re overmatched.
“Everybody is picking a brother up.”
Zach Tanner and Justin Marrero each collected a double and two singles. Alex Delk had a pair of hits and Chris Miller rifled a two-run single in the fourth inning of game two and the chugged around the bases to score from first as part of Portland’s six-run inning.
“Once we got going, they had to be shaking their heads because they seemed to have no answer.” Miller said. As the Rockets kept knocking the baseball around the diamond in the second game, Battle Creek’s defense became even more and more lazy fielding the ball. “Day baseball is our mantra. We like to see the white pearl fly in the deep blue sky.
“We just had Rocket attack after attack.”
And the Rockets are headed back to the world series.
“I think it’s a lot different,” Waters said of the feeling this time around. “We’re older, of course (but) the young pieces have really stepped up this year.
“The first time you go to the world series you don’t know what to expect. We know what to expect now. We have been there before. I don’t think we’re just going to have a good time. We’re going to compete.”
The tournament schedule will be released at a later date.
All Rights Reserved
FORT WAYNE — There wasn’t much celebration.
The victory was already well in hand, so the final out was just a formality.
Facing elimination against a team that was the only loss of the tournament, the Portland Rockets avenged the earlier defeat to sweep the Battle Creek Behnke to win the National Amateur Baseball Federation Regional Tournament on Sunday at Carrington Field.
“Championship baseball has got many facets,” said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose team advances to the NABF World Series Thursday through Aug. 13 in Battle Creek, Michigan. It is just the second world series berth in the history of the Rockets, who last won regional in 2012. “Offense, defense, pitching, all around we had leadership qualities. We had timely hitting.
“All clicked for a double win today. The odds were not well stacked. They had beaten us in the first round. They are a formidable foe, obviously.”
It was a group of veteran Rockets who helped Portland (33-10) keep the team from Michigan at bay for most of the day.
In game one, it was Dan Bollenbacher, a South Adams High School graduate. The right-handed flamethrower allowed 10 hits over 8 1/3 innings while striking out six and walking three in a 9-6 victory. He allowed six earned runs before giving way to 2015 Jay County High School graduate with one out in the ninth. Jacks got one strikeout and a game-ending pop fly to get the save.
Game two saw Mitch Waters, a 2002 Jay County High School graduate who made his first start of the season, turn back the clock to the likes of 2012. The crafty veteran only gave up five hits, struck out four and walked one while also lasting eight innings. He gave up two earned runs in the third inning, which Portland responded by scoring 11 consecutive runs for an 11-2 win.
“It’s our core,” said Miller, whose team was bounced in the regional semifinal in each of the last two seasons. “We have been close. It always seems we are one pitcher away. We have Max Habegger, Zach Short (and) Derek Thobe.
“Today we had a Mitch Waters and a Dan Bollenbacher, like the old days. They used to be one and two back in the day and they were one-two again today. They were tough customers. They were champions.”
Waters, who tweaked a hamstring in the min-regional last weekend in Cincinnati and had been battling a sore shoulder for a few seasons now, didn’t try to blow the baseball past hitters like he had in the past. He mixed his fastball and timely offspeed, trying to outsmart hitters rather than overpower them.
“I didn’t think I could strike a lot of guys out today,” said Waters, who was on the bump when the Rockets clinched the franchise’s first world series berth. “When you haven’t pitched for a while that is kind of what happens. I was just trying to pitch to contact. I know we have a good defensive crew. I know we hit the ball. I figured if I kept it close and let them play we’d do it.”
In fact, Portland racked up 31 hits against Battle Creek, which beat the Rockets 2-1 on Friday and had a depleted pitching staff. Brandon Reamon led the way with five hits. Cody Krumlauf, Dalton Tinsley, Dustin Lewis and Collin Affolder each had four hits.
Krumlauf had a team-best six RBIs including four in the second game. Two of those RBIs came on a hard-hit liner up the middle that deflected off the Battle Creek pitcher and to the second baseman, who threw Krumlauf out at first.
“It is unbelievable,” Waters said. “The hitting team that we have this year is better than any team I think I’ve ever seen. Up and down throughout the order there is not an easy out. We always have fun together and I think a lot of our success, nobody thinks that they’re overmatched.
“Everybody is picking a brother up.”
Zach Tanner and Justin Marrero each collected a double and two singles. Alex Delk had a pair of hits and Chris Miller rifled a two-run single in the fourth inning of game two and the chugged around the bases to score from first as part of Portland’s six-run inning.
“Once we got going, they had to be shaking their heads because they seemed to have no answer.” Miller said. As the Rockets kept knocking the baseball around the diamond in the second game, Battle Creek’s defense became even more and more lazy fielding the ball. “Day baseball is our mantra. We like to see the white pearl fly in the deep blue sky.
“We just had Rocket attack after attack.”
And the Rockets are headed back to the world series.
“I think it’s a lot different,” Waters said of the feeling this time around. “We’re older, of course (but) the young pieces have really stepped up this year.
“The first time you go to the world series you don’t know what to expect. We know what to expect now. We have been there before. I don’t think we’re just going to have a good time. We’re going to compete.”
The tournament schedule will be released at a later date.
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