Hops Drop Series Finale with Salem-Keizer

The Hops sent the Arizona Diamondbacks sixth round draft choice and recent Big-10 pitcher of the year Andrew Saalfrank to the mound. Saalfrank was cruising through the first until he ran into Salem-Keizer's Franklin Labour, who hit a two-out offering off the scoreboard in left-center field. Hillsboro went quietly in the first inning against Salem-Keizer's starter Jacob Lopez. 

Salem-Keizer's high-flying offense came out in the top of the second against Michel Gelabert - who piggybacked Saalfrank - scoring three runs on three hits in the inning. Beicker Mendoza drove in Tyler Fitzgerald and Alexander Canario with a double to left field and later scored on a Brandon Martorano ground rule double to center field.   
The Hops threatened in the bottom half of the frame in the third inning, but did not manage to push across a run after putting runners on first and second with no outs.  
Salem-Keizer stole a run in the top half of the fourth on a Simon Whiteman infield single, in which Mendoza hustled from second and scored on the throw to first from Leyton.  
Gelabert, the reigning Northwest League Pitcher of the Week was lifted in the top half of the fifth inning in favor of former Boston College Eagle Jacob Stevens. The lefty's final line scattered five hits and five runs, four earned, with three walks and three punchouts. Stevens surrendered a Fitzgerald double driving in Labour. Genoves came across on a wild pitch, putting the Volcanoes up by eight runs.  
Lopez's day was finished after five shutout innings scattering five hits and handing out four strikeouts. The Volcanoes brought in reliver Trevor Horn to hold the shutout though six complete innings.  
The Hops pushed across two runs in the bottom half of the ninth, loading the bases by walks and singles. A Nick Grande walk drove in Ryan January, and a Jorge Barrosa single through the 3-4 hole scored Ricky Martinez. With the heart of the order due up, the Volcanoes settled down and induced flyouts by Leyton and Tristin English. Robinson punched out on a high heater to end the threat.  
Salem-Keizer moves into a first place tie with Hillsboro with only six games left on the schedule for the first half of the season. Hillsboro makes the trip down I-5 to take on defending Northwest League Champion Eugene Emeralds. The first pitch is at 7:05 pm with the pregame show beginning on Rip City Radio 620 AM with Matt Richert.