Portage South Opens 2025 Splitting DH

The Portage South Black Squirrels opened the 2025 season with a doubleheader against the Akron Orioles at Roosevelt Park.  In game one, the Orioles scored first with a run in the top of the first.  Portage South came back with 3 runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead.  Charlie Drumm singled and advanced to second on a single by Jesse Michel.  Justin Nelson doubled to deep left center to score Drumm and move Michel to third.  Mike Haney drove Michel home with a RBI groundout and Nelson was able to score on a balk.  PS got another run in the second to make it 4-1.  Josh Simmons walked to start the inning and moved to second on a fielder's choice by Mikey Haney III.  Lucius Ivory reached on a fielder's choice that moved Simmons to third.  Ivory would steal second and Drumm would follow with a single to score Simmons.  Akron would get a run in the third to cut the lead to 4-2, but the Black Squirrels added 3 more runs in the bottom to push lead out to 7-2.  Nelson walked to lead off the inning and Haney followed with a double.  Jason Preising would reach on an error that scored Nelson.  Simmons walked to load the baases, then Haney would score on a wild pitch.  After a double play, advancing Preising to third, he would score on another wild pitch for the third run of the inning.  Portage South added to the lead with another 3 run inning in the fifth to take a commanding 10-2 lead.  Haney III singled to left field and Lyndon Rainey walked to make it first and second.  Haney III stole third and Rainey would then advance to second before Haney III scored on another wild pitch.  Rainey came around to score on a wild pitch before Drumm walked.  Michel followed with a single that moved Drumm to third.  Nelson singled home Drumm.  PS would score another run in the sixth on a single by Drumm scoring Haney III and make the final score 11-2.  Kevin Haley went the distance for the victory on the mound, striking out seven.  Drumm and Michel had 3 hits each to lead the offense.  Nelson added 2 hits and 2 RBI.

Game 2 had the Black Squirrels grab 3 runs in the top of the first inning.  Portage South took advantage of a couple of fielding errors to score Charlie Drumm, Jesse Michel and Justin Nelson.  The Orioles came back with a run in the bottom half, cutting the lead to 3-1.  PS added another run in the third inning to make it 4-1.  Mikey Haney III would score Jason Preising on a bases loaded walk.  Akron cut the lead with a run in the third to 4-2, the grab the lead in the fourth with a 4-run inning.  The Black Squirrels threatened in the fifth and sixth, but could not get another run across and lost to split the doubleheader.  Jonathan Kountis threw 2.2 innings and struck out 8 batters in relief. 

Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame Inducts Jonathan Kountis

Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame held the 2024 induction ceremony and honored Jonathan Kountis.  Kountis became the 7th Portage South Black Squirrel to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. 

Jonathan played for Firestone High as a pitcher. He was 3 time All City Team 2004-2006 as well as Beacon Journal Player of the Year in 2006. He holds the career wins and strikeout records for the Falcons.

Kountis then pitched 3 years at Ohio Dominican College and was an NAIA All American in 2007 & 2008. He was drafted by the Indians but decided to play his last year at Emery Riddle Univ. After his senior year, Jon was drafted by the Mets in the 19th round and played 2 years in the organization.

Jonathan played for the Lake Erie Crushers in 2012 before signing with the Blue Jays. He went back to the Frontier League and holds the record for most single saves in a season. Kountis was named to the Frontier League Hall of Fame in 2021.

Jonathan has pitched for the Greece National Olympic team since 2016 to present.

Kountis joined the Portage South Black Squirrels in 2020 and led PS to their second AA title, while earning Dave Layton Tournament MVP.  In 2021, Kountis won the Frank Garcia MVP and Dave Layton Pitcher of the Year league awards.  After missing the 2022 season rehabbing his arm, Jonathan came back in 2023 and won the Dave Layton Tournament MVP again.

Six Black Squirrels Earning League Honors

The Greater Akron AA League Awards were announced with 6 Portage South Black Squirrels earning league all star honors.  The 5 individual league awards were also announced and Chad Harper was a finalist for the Don Lombardi Rookie of the Year and George Sisler Hitter of the Year.  Kevin Haley won the Dave Layton Tournament MVP award for the American Division of the Greater Akron AA League.  Jonathan Kountis was also a finalist for Dave Young Pitcher of the Year.  In addition to the above mentioned Black Squirrels, Drew Bradley, Jesse Michel and Eric Schaffer were named to the Greater Akron AA All Star team.

Portage South Honored by Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame

The Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame announced the Induction Class of 2023 and Special Awards.  The Portage South Black Squirrels were awarded the Team Award, which is presented to a team that has excelled for many years on the field.

In 1997, Bob Paradise, his son, Robert, and Marc Korogi formed the Portage South Baseball Team with local players from Summit and Portage County.  They joined the Hot Stove D League, which then became the NEO AAA and NEO Class A League.  Portage South would then join the rebuilt Greater Akron AA League in 2005 and helped carry it over to combine with the NEO Roy Hobbs 18+ Division.

Portage South won 3 NEO AAA division titles (1998, 99, 01) and made 2 State Final Four appearances (1998, 00) from 1997-2004.  Portage South then won 2 regular season titles (2007, 11), League Tournament ('05), AABC District title ('06) and AA League title ('11) in AA League (2005-11).  In the NEO Roy Hobbs Greater Akron AA Division, Portage South won 3 AA League title ('20, '22, '23), the Wood Bat Classic ('14) and were the 2016 regular season champions and won the NABA Labor Day Tournament in Rochester, NY.

Portage South founders, Bob Paradise, Robert Paradise and Marc Korogi also played an important role, with Ted Hardy to revive the Greater Akron AA League in 2005 and worked with other area leagues in NE Ohio to showcase local talent in All Star Games, playing against players in the Canton and Warren leagues.  They also have had 6 former/current players inducted into the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame.