Rockets fall to Jackers

FORT WAYNE — The Rockets started to turn the ship around.

After a nine game skid, they picked up a pair of wins in pool play of the National Amature Baseball Federation tournament.

The momentum shift wasn’t enough to keep the Rockets going.

The Portland Rockets’ season came to an end on Saturday as they fell to the Fort Wayne Jackers 8-4 in the opening round of bracket play for the NABF tournament.

Both teams got on the scoreboard early with a first-inning run. Isaac Bair of the Jackers and Joel Kennedy both hit singles to drive in a run.

Fort Wayne continued to chip away through the next three innings, scoring a run each to develop a lead. The Jackers had RBI-singles from Evan Vansumeren and Spencer McGee during the run. The final run came from a steal of home plate in the fourth inning by Tristen Sprunger.

The only run Portland was able to score during the three innings came on a single by catcher Gavin Gleason that got through the left half of the infield to allow Kennedy to score.

The Rockets were able to fight their way back from the two-run deficit by chipping away in the sixth and the seventh.

In the sixth inning, a pair of back-to-back doubles from Blake Caldwell and Ayden Lichtenstiger plated a run.

Kennedy then tied the game up with a single in the seventh following a single and a stolen base by Dakota Durick.

Trouble on the mound bit the Rockets in the eighth, losing the lead and giving up three runs in the inning.

Nick Bailey was able to secure the first out by inducing a groundout from Sprunger. The next batter reached base on an error by Garrison Brege at shortstop.

Bailey walked the next two batters, forcing a run across home plate in the process. Bair then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score another run before the Rockets made a change on the mound.

Peyton Smith hit the next batter to load the bases before another walk scored a third run in the inning.

Smith struck out the next batter to end the inning, but the damage was done, giving the Jackers a three-run lead.

Vansumeren hit another RBI-single to add an insurance run for the Jackers in the ninth, leading to the final score of 8-4.

Bailey suffered the loss after giving up three unearned runs.

Conner Mclaughlin earned the victory for the Jackers, throwing 2 ⅓ innings without giving up a run. Fort Wayne’s pitchers combined to strike the Rockets out 10 times in the ballgame.

The Jackers would go on to win the regional, earning them a spot in the World Series in Battle Creek. The Livonia Firebirds were the runners-up.