Play ball!

No matter the forecast, June 16 will be a beautiful day in Portland.

The Portland Rockets, as well as Portland Junior League, got the go-ahead to begin their respective seasons later this summer as Portland Park Board decided during its meeting Tuesday to open baseball diamonds effective immediately.

The Jay County Summer Swim Team will be able to compete after Portland Water Park opens on Independence Day.

“I was relieved,” said Rockets manager Randy Miller, who was in attendance at the meeting and whose team is set to kick off its 61st season at 7 p.m. June 16 at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field.

“We have a bunch of young men that are hungry to get out and show their wares,” he continued. “We’re chomping at the bit. We’ve been given a new lease on life.”

Brian Ison, PJL president and park board member, said giving the local youth an opportunity to get outside, be active and play sports will be a welcomed change from how the coronavirus pandemic has affected all lives.

“This is the first time they can actually look forward to something,” he said. “I think that’s the big thing right there; give them a little bit of hope between the pool, baseball, summer activities, try to get some sort of normalcy back in their life.”

Park board also said it will open Portland Water Park and restrooms at all of its parks on July 4.

“I have said all along if we’re opening one we’re opening all,” board president Shauna Runkle said. “If we’re not opening one thing we’re not opening anything. To me it’s an all-or-nothing.

“We have to be very mindful and resourceful to open all these parks up. We have to do some diligent things in every arena … In my opinion, kids need to be able to get outside. They’re cooped up.”

The Portland Rockets will begin their season June 16 at home against the Muncie Chiefs. They’ll then host doubleheaders against the Mishawaka Brewers and Fort Wayne Panthers on June 20 and 21, respectively, before a June 24 home tilt against the Chiefs.

The team’s first road trip will be a trek north to Fort Wayne’s Carrington Field to take on the Fort Wayne Blues for two games June 27. They will then return to Runkle-Miller Field for a twin bill against the Summit City Sluggers a day later.

Portland will play at home against the Panthers July 1 before hosting a Fourth of July tournament July 3 through 5.

The Rockets’ homestand will continue July 8 against the Sluggers, then with a doubleheader July 11 against the Blues and two games July 12 against the Fort Wayne Jackers.

Portland then hits the road for five games — one against Northeast Kekionga on July 14 at Indiana Tech, then doubleheaders against the South Bend Royals on July 18 and the Mishawaka Brewers on July 19. The games against the Royals and Brewers will be played at Bethel University.

The regular season will conclude with a doubleheader against the Jackers at Carrington Field.

Portland Junior League will hold the first of its live registration events from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and June 10 at Jay Community Center, 115 E. Water St. Online registration is also available until June 10 by going to bit.ly/PJLregistration.

Teams will be selected June 13, allowing for practices to be conducted June 15 through 27. The six-week season will begin June 29 and end Aug. 14, with a single-elimination tournament for all of its divisions.

“It’ll be the first real activity the kids have been able to participate in since the whole COVID-19 restrictions, from the time they got out of school,” Ison said.