August 8, 2014 nabf regional ft wayne

Good morning baseball fans. It’s a beautiful day in Portland. The Portland rockets are battle tested and battle approved.  Tournament time is the time to shine.  Guess we got waxed. Rockets lost in the ft wayne nabf regional tournament. Twice. Although are schedule says regional-cincinnati. We received word from national office in july we would be playing in ft. wayne.

Our draw –the ft wayne jackers on a thurs 1230 start .  tyler reynolds, Justin miller and connor milligan kept it close, down 4 0 in the 3^rd rockets rally to close the gap to 4-3,in the 6^th ,  Justin Marrero 2 long doubles to the fence driving in all 3

Then the jackers hitter hakes hit his 2^nd home run and the jackers win going away 13-3

On this work day being a thurs. big dan bollenbacker who took the jackers into 9 inn. Last weekend in the Portland tournament. Was unable to pitch the day game. But dan was there for the night game. Rockets lost to the Chicago clout 3-1

Great drama great suspense and well played, but not able to string together a single rocket rally. Alex delk homered in the last inn. To account for the only run.  Rockets had 6 hits, 2 by logan hug and 2 by leadoff man Dalton tinsley. In fact in the 2 games tinsley had 5 hits, on base 6 times but only able to score one run. 

Bollenbacker went the distance, 96 pitches and after giving up 3 runs in 3inn, retired the last 15 of 16 clout hitters. Dan walked one, struck out 2 and gave up 8 hits.

Dan bollenbacher answered the call, wants the ball, and gives his all

You may sometimes question the heart of some of our boys of summer, but never dan bollenbacher.

The Chicago coach was very complimentary of the big right hander pitching throughtraffic and adversity. He also acknowledged our fine defensive play, notabley the ss play of Justin Marrero.  I concur.  That guy plays at another level.  great crowd with larry and donna chittum and the maloys on board. Even a visit from mike overmeyer, our catcher in 1985 from Muncie.

Rockets are on the brink of elimination. After 2 loses and 2 jackers wins, the portlands play today at Carrington at 2 pm vs. the south bend Yankees.

Justin miller our starting pitcher.  It is great news that travis gray , our closer from earlier in the year who was called to pitch for the southern ohio copperheads , is back.

Rockets need to win and have some help when matt ousley and  the jackers have to club the clout. If we score in bunches we could possibly be in the 8 oclock game .

Rockets drop 2 in tournament.  But play at 2 today.

Rocket record now 26-15

Happy birthday  today to rockets coaches mark Flueckiger, now coach at Huntington university, and Jason murray at liberty university

Hear our cheer Olivia

Rockets rockets are the best

r-o=-c-k-e-t-s

 randy miller pg 14