Aug 13, 2012 nabf regional results

Good morning baseball fans, it’s a beautiful day in Portland

Breaking news, folks, the Portland rockets in this their 53^rd year, have won the

Nabf regional in Cincinnati,  yes the rockets are going to the world series in new york

Glory be , 23 rockets in Cincinnati , backed against the wall sat nite in an elimination game,,,3 elimination games as a matter of fact, did not quite and won 3 exciting games in a span of hours.  As reported earlier, dan bollenbacher and billy wellman s hr and 3 rbi defeated Springfield 7-4 thurs.. nite,  fri  nite the rockets and billy geeslin were defeated by the Cincinnati chiefs 12-7, their offense prowess is immense.

Rockets could not hold a 6-4 lead , wellman again homered. But the rocket staple pitching and defense, not in house in this key matchup. 

The 5 team field Springfield Yorkville, 2 cinci teams and Portland  then had a draw,

At quarter till ten, rockets drew the chiefs again and 3 hours later, almost 1 am, Michael caley and tyler Reynolds prevailed, rockets win 12- 6.  as mentioned these are elimination games, and now kristie Delaney and brad miller have joined a host of other rocket fans and now the boys of summer turned it  up a notch..  the hit brigade drew praise even from the cinci coaches, 14,14, and 16 hits in the next 3 games./

Michael caley goes 7 inn 123 pitches, and rockets send 9 men to the plate in the 1^st  inning to go up 4-0

Rockets then enmasse at 130 am go to eat and coach tinsely unfolds the waffle house plan, save waters and bollenbacher for the chiefs in the final game,

Pitch Yorktown lefthander Justin miller,.

Never thought of that….rockets always go with the big 4, bollenbacher, waters, geeslin, caley, well, now we have the big 5,  Justin miller goes all 7 inn. Giving up but 4 hits, striking out 7 rockets roll over Yorktown yaks 12-2 in 7 inn.  Offense clicks agin and hits 3 hr in one inn----chris miller, billy geeslin and Kirby Campbell all go deep in the 3^rd.

Setting the stage for the championship game.

Same setting at the same diamond we had in 2009 with Jensen painter and josh ludy

Except now we have a fresh pitcher left in mitch waters,  mitch had played earlier in the week with the canton stallions, not happy with that and that will not happen again, but flew back fri nite and arrived during game 3 of the tournament.

But mitch has a flair for the dramatic,,,,, and those on hand were about to see history

Mitch went the distance, 117 pitches all 9 inn and his offense again showed up  16 hits

Rockets formula, clutch hitting , pitching,  defense, and guts equals championship

Zach tanner had 2 home runs, Justin Marrero had 4 hits and a homer, and Portland knocked out the chiefs 10-2.  the chiefs by the way had been to the world series two years running and hoping to make it 3 but not this day, Portland has now played Cincinnati 6 times,winning 4 losing 2. and they are older and tough customers,

Rockts hit 8 home runs in the 5 games, outscored opponents 48-26  ,, wellman and Marrero had 8 hits, Kirby Campbell 7, tom mccowan and tanner 6,  tanner led the team in runs scored with 7 and rbi 6,Marrero 6 also.

Catcher chris miller and mvp of wbc tournament , was hit by the pitch, the 20^th time of the season.  When asked, he just said< if they throw it inside, I just take one for the team

How about that, 

Games concluded about 6 pm sat, and here comes the water cooler the players dumped over my head,  and we have a championship in Portland. Right up there with jchs cheerleaders

Portland is on the baseball map and now headed to play on the country;s biggest stage.

The nabf world series in buffalo new york,,,,,

And we couldn’t be prouder than to represent Portland Indiana in the 10 team world series. Fla, Connecticut, new jersey, buffalo, ft wayne, Portland, Youngstown, Illinois .Louisville will contend on the last weekend of the season.

Portland proud we are in the mix,  rockets win wbc for the first time and also the regional for the 1^st time. Now stand 30-10

So many calls and emails from rockets past with well wishing-----side note 11 rocket players and coaches payed respects to a fine baseball man ,. Gene daggett sun.  love ya in Portland gene

By the way welcome to the world futurue rocket, ryan ray farmer jenny farmers newborn, my great nephew

This is 30 years, at 600 dollars of registration a year,

$18,000 plus just in tourney fees, but its on like donkey kong,  Portland in the world series

what makes me proud, got an email from a team in Mississippi last nite, wanting to come to play in Portland, in wbc wow

r-o-c-k-e-t-s rockets rockets are the best here we go to buffalo

randy miller pg 14