Hops Clinch Opening Series Win Over Eugene on Walk-off Wild Pitch

The Hillsboro Hops and Eugene Emeralds entered the rubber match of the opening three-game series of the 2025 season at Hillsboro ballpark on Sunday. Eugene took the lead in the ninth inning, but the Hops responded with two clutch runs in the bottom of the frame to take the final game of the series 5-4 on a walk-off wild pitch. Druw Jones walked three times, Ryan Waldschmidt hit his first professional home run and Cristofer Torin had the game-tying double in the Hillsboro win.

Yordin Chalas was making his first professional start on the bump for Hillsboro and he was opposed by left-handed Esmerlin Vicinio.

Hillsboro struck first in the second inning when JJ D’Orazio singled back up the middle.

The Hops had the lead for half an inning before Eugene scored three in the top of the third. Quinn McDaniel and James Tibbs had back-to-back doubles, with Tibbs driving in two runs that gave Eugene the lead.

Eugene took a 3-1 lead in the third, where the Hops drew closer. Jansel Luis continued his hot series with an RBI single that made it a one-run game.

Both teams posted zeroes through the middle innings. Chalas lasted just 2.2 innings for Hillsboro, but Carlos Rey’s scoreless inning and Ricardo Yan’s four scoreless innings held the Hops’ deficit at 3-2 entering the seventh.

The 31st overall pick in the 2024 draft, Ryan Waldschmidt blasted his first professional home run for the Hops in the seventh inning that tied the game at three.

The Emeralds’ nine-hole hitter Thomas Gavello came up big with a go-ahead single in the ninth against Hayden Durke, giving Eugene a 4-3 advantage. Luke Craig came in relief for the Hops and kept the damage to a minimum, giving the Hops a chance trailing by just one entering the ninth.

Marques Johnson entered in the ninth looking to record the first save of the year for Eugene and it didn't go as planned for the right-hander. In a downpour, Druw Jones worked an 8-pitch walk with one out. Jones represented the tying run at first base and came to score on a double down the first base line by Cristofer Torin. Torin advanced to third on an infield single by Demetrio Crisantes, putting the winning run 90-feet away. On an 0-2 pitch with Waldschmidt at the plate, Johnson threw a wild pitch that allowed Torin to score the winning run.

With the walk-off win, Hillsboro took the Opening three-game Series over Eugene 2-1. The Hops will head north to take on the Everett AquaSox in a six-game series starting on Tuesday. First pitch is at 7:05 on Rip City radio 620 AM.