Boise Hawks Pound on the Hillsboro Hops, 10-2
The Boise Hawks, who have been very hot of late, pummeled the Hillsboro Hops 10-2 at Memorial Stadium in Boise. The Combination of twelve Boise hits, seven Hops errors, along with two passed balls, were too much for the Hops to even stay close.
Hillsboro scored first with one run in the second, but they would only score one more run the rest of the game. With two out, Marcus Wilson walked and then stole second. Alexis Olmeda drove him home with a single up the middle for first blood. The rest of the game would be very bloody for the Hops.
The Hawks answered back in the bottom of the inning with three runs on two hits and two errors. Luis Castro singled on a grounder to center field, moved to third on Jacob Bosiokovic’s double and came home on a fielder’s choice by Ryan Stephens. Stephens moved to second on an error and scored on Wesley Jones double to right. Anthony Brito came home on a sacrifice fly to left by Campbell Wear.
The game stayed quiet until the bottom of the sixth when the Hawks added two more runs. Garret Hampson reached base on an error and promptly stole second and third. Hampton came home on Luis Castro’s triple to deep center field. Castro came home on a Ryan Stephens sacrifice fly to center.
The seventh is when the barn doors flew open and the game’s score would double in that one inning by itself.
The Hops scored their second and last run of the night when Sergio Alcantara walked, was given second on a balk and moved to third on Anfernee Grier’s infield single to short. During the next batter, both runners pulled a double steal with Alcantara coming home on the throw to second.
Boise scored five runs in the bottom of the inning with help from the Hops gloves. Garrett Hampson tripled two runs home scoring Steven Linkous and Eric Toole. Luis Castro singled Hampson home, moved to second on Jacob Bosiokovic’s single through the left side gap, took third on a passed ball and came home on Ryan Stephens sacrifice fly to center. Tyler Orris grounded out, 6-3, but not before scoring Bosiokovic from third. Final score 10-2.
Hops batters managed five hits on the night, two of them by Luis Veras.
Boise had twelve hits on the night. Luis Castro went 3 for 5, scored three runs, had a triple and an RBI. Jacob Bosiokovic went 3 for 4, scored a run and had a double. Garrett Hampson went 2 for 5, scored twice, a triple and two RBIs. Steven Linkous went 2 for 5 and scored a run. Tyler Orris and Wesley Jones also hit safely.
Colin Poche (0-1) was the starter for the Hops. Poche was relieved in the bottom of the fourth after allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits for the loss. Trevor Sims pitched through the seventh allowing two runs on two hits and stiking out three. Palmer Betts, making his Hops debut, finished the game allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits and struck out six.
Javier Medina (3-0) started and won his third game of the young season for the Hawks going five plus innings allowing only one run on four hits while striking out six. Christian Talley and Jared Gesell went the rest of the way. Talley allowed the Hops last run on one hit. Garrett face three batters in the ninth and went three up and three down.
The Hillsboro Hops (6-9) fell one game in the standings but remain in a tie for second with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. The Boise Hawks (5-10) remained six games out of first but is now only one game behind the Hops.
Both teams return to Memorial Stadium for game two of the three game series. LHP Anfernee Benitiez (1-2) will start for the Hops facing LHP Mike Zimmerman (0-3) of the Hawks.
By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker
