Four Home Runs by Eugene Too Much for Hops to Overcome 

Eugene, OR (May 4th, 2022) - Hillsboro heads south to Eugene for a six-game series at PK Park with the Emeralds. Eugene, the High-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, have six of the top ten prospects in the system. The Emeralds would hit four home runs against Hillsboro pitching, including back-to-back homers in the fifth by Hunter Bishop and Casey Schmitt, off Hops’ starter Scott Randall. Eugene had five hits in the game, with four of them leaving the yard. Tim Tawa and A.J. Vukovich would combine for seven hits on the night, but the Hillsboro late rally was not enough, as Eugene won 7-6 on Wednesday.

Hillsboro would score their 11th and 12th first inning runs of the year, as Cam Coursey gave them a 2-0 lead with a single off Ty Weber, scoring Tawa and Vukovich.

The Hops still had a 2-0 lead into the fifth, where Tawa added onto the score with a two-run home run off Weber. Tawa’s fifth home run of the season was his first trip around the bases that was not a solo shot.

Eugene starter Ty Weber lasted 4.1 innings, giving up seven hits and four earned runs.

Hillsboro took a 4-0 lead to the fifth and Randall was perfect through the first 12 batters he faced. That changed quickly in the inning, as Jairo Pomares hit a solo home run to centerfield for the Emeralds first hit of the game. Shortly after, with a runner on first, Hunter Bishop hit a two-run homer to make it a one-run game. The Emeralds were not done there, as the very next batter Casey Schmitt hit a home run of his own, tying the game at four.

Randall ended up finishing the fifth inning, but his night was done there. He lasted five innings, giving up three hits (all home runs) and four earned runs, while striking out six.

Schmitt broke the tie in the seventh, hitting a solo home run, his second of the night. Tawa and Schmitt are now tied for first place in the Northwest League in home runs, with five each.

The Emeralds would tack on two more runs in the eighth, after Bobby Ay walked all four batters he faced. Ay would throw 20 pitches in the inning, with just four for a strike. Eugene led 7-4 after eight innings.

Tristin English walked to lead off the ninth against Nick Avila. Spencer Brickhouse was the hitter, breaking an 0-9 streak with a deep home run to right field, making it 7-6. Oriente would single and Tawa would get his fourth hit of the night, to give the Hops two runners on with nobody out. Adrian Del Castillo grounded out to first, Vukovich struck out and Caleb Roberts grounded out to end the game.

Hillsboro (11-11) and Eugene (11-9) will play game two at PK Park on Thursday. Rich Burk and Seth Hoiland will have the call on Rip City Radio 620, with the pre-game show starting at 7:20 and first pitch at 7:35.