Base on Balls Wins it All in Extras as Hops Win 5-4

Hillsboro, OR (August 10)- The Saturday night duel between the visiting Everett AquaSox and the Hillsboro Hops ended in walk-off fashion, as the Hops got the 5-4 win. The game was either tied, or Hillsboro held the lead until the ninth inning when Everett tied it up to send the game into extras.

Despite allowing a double to the leadoff AquaSox batter Micheal Arroyo, Jacob Steinmetz got out of the first inning without allowing a run.

Both teams would make it through the first without getting a run across. The first run of the game came in the bottom of the second when Tommy Troy singled and then advanced on a throwing error by Tyler Cummings, scoring via a Manuel Peña RBI single.

The AquaSox finally scored a run after Steinmeitz allowed a hit, followed by mirroring the AquaSox starter and committing a throwing error in a pick-off attempt, advancing the runner to second and was then scored on an RBI single.

In the bottom half of the fourth, Jack Hurley reached base via base on balls, advancing to second on a wild pitch, scoring when Tommy Troy hit a ground-rule RBI double to put the Hops up once again in the game.

Jacob Steinmetz pitched five innings, allowing one earned run, walking three, and striking out four. Listher Sosa was lights out as a relief pitcher, only giving up one hit and striking out four in three innings. Alfred Morillo took over in an attempt to close out the tight game. He gave up a triple to the leadoff batter with no outs. He hit the next batter he saw, putting the potential lead on base. The next batter cashed in on his opportunity, hitting an RBI double to tie the game. A sacrifice fly scored the runner on third, giving Everett their first lead of the game. Christian Cerda had a great tag out at home to stop another run from scoring.

Micheal Arroyo, the leadoff hitter for the AquaSox, went three-for-four with a double, two singles, and two RBI. Tyler Cummings got the start and pitched six innings, striking out five and giving up one earned run. C.J. Widger took the top of the seventh, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Tyler Cleveland had the eighth, striking out one and allowing one hit before Jason Ruffcorn took the ball in the ninth for the AquaSox.

Ruffcorn allowed a walk to leadoff batter Christan Cerda, who catcher Gavin Logan pinch ran for. Jackson Feltner hit a two-out double to tie the game back up in the bottom of the ninth.

Phillip Abner entered the game in the top of the tenth for the Hops. The ghost runner advanced to third on a ground-out and scored after Gino Groover committed an error with two outs, giving Everett the lead once again.

Holden Laws pitched the tenth for Everett. Gino Groover hit a single to send the ghost runner to third with one out. Gavin Conticello drew a walk on a full count to load the bases with still only one out. Jack Hurley came through with an RBI single to tie the game up once again. Gavin Logan draws his 56th walk in a Hops uniform to win the game 5-4.

Tommy Troy, Gavin Conticello, and Jack Hurley all went two-for-four in the matchup. The Hops racked up eleven hits, scoring five runs with two errors, and the AquaSox scored four runs on ten hits, committing two errors.

The final matchup of the season between the Everett AquaSox and the Hops will take place tomorrow at 1:05 pm at Hillsboro Ballpark. The pregame show is at 12:50 on Rip City Radio 620 am and Bally Live.