Aug. 1 2016 season concludes in cinci regional

Good morning baseball fans, it’s a beautiful day in Portland. And happy 1^st of august

Portland rockets went 2-2 this weekend in Cincinnati in the NABF Regional. Rockets conclude one of their finest seasons ever at 27-7 but the final game will be one that stings for a long time, rockets losing Sunday  6-3 to the Cleveland entry Lake Erie Buckeyes, in  11 inn.  Rockets made it to the final 4 semifinals, games are now 9 inn, so its all day, all dan, dan bollenbacher goes into the 9^th inn. Carrying the club on his back, he had pitched 8 shutout inn, given up just 2 hits and now retires the first 2 batters protecting a 3-0 lead.

But….a walk, a hit and a 3 run homer spoils the complete game shutout and now unbelievably it is 3-3,  rocket reliever pitcher mitch waters holds em till the 11^th, and the same guy,named Johnson, he played vs. Portland several yrs ago on the ohio fightin titans in the Portland tournament, WBC, hit a walk off 3 run blast, rockets lose 6-3 in extras.

Bollenbacher pitched his fanny off, and hopefully not his arm, a record of 156 pitches and dan pitches till they score ----27 outs needed ---he was the master of 26

A performance of perserverance and pure guts,  so proud of that guy dan  bollenbacher

Bill geeslin led the offence, 4 hits and a homer along with some clutch hits from Kevin sharp, tj lindstrand and chris miller gave Portland the 3-0 lead

Rockets earned their place on championship Sunday with victories thur and sat. nite.

Rockets defeated the Yorkville yaks, 4-2 behind Derek thobes complete game win, waters hit a 2 run homer.  Rockets lost to Chicago entry Oswego cats in 8inn fri nite, 3-2

Rocket lefthander craig martin pitched well enough to win, but we couldn’t hold a 2-1 lead in the last inn.  Geeslin took the loss

A win fri 10-1 over the Cincinnati mudcats bollenbacher went 3 inn, Andrew bobeck 3 and dan ground ball borchers one. Rockets core guys, our staple of veterans all performed well, leading the charge Justin Marrero 8 -16 on the weekend, 6 hits geeslin, 5 each for tinsley, waters and sharp.  I even had a phone call at 130 am ----you are thinking who is calling and it cant be a good thing,  it was billy ballgame,.  He just wanted us to know he has a love for the game, and reassured me he would be back in portland next season.

Wow
rocket rooters larry and donna chittum, and angi brad and Kristie Delaney and many others were witness Sunday to the all dan all day deal  sports editor chris shantz on hand, man they should get him a company car---dag nabbit silly rabbit it was such a great feel-good story, but it ended  one out short,  I went to the mound right before the game tying blast, it was dans call, he just said I need one more out…..man this game can be so unkind

Rockets lose Sunday in extra innings 6-3----by the way, the team we played the lake eerie buckeyes won the championship 9-7 over buffalo,,,,,ours was more really like the championship  game

Tournament director and umpires were complimentary of our fine ballclub and we do have much to  be proud of ---portland proud

Now we wrap up another fine season in Portland record 27-7,  many good memories made , lots of good baseball played,

We say thanks to all supporters and all contributors

We say love ya in Portland, and we’ll see you at runkle-miller field in 2017

Randy miller pg 14