Hillsboro Hops, Karaviotis Three-Run Homer Blast Boise Hawks, 9-5
The Hillsboro Hops led 8-0 before the Boise Hawks scored their first run in the sixth. After scoring five runs of their own, the Hawks fell to the Hops, 9-5.
Jason Morozowski and Mark Karaviotis both hit home runs for the winning team while six different Hops batters hit a double. The team itself would total twelve hits before the night was through.
Their first lead was 5-0 in the second. Mark Karaviotos homered with Justin Chigbogu and Alexis Olmeda on base for the three run shot. Before the inning was over, three consecutive doubles by Jason Morozowski, Stephen Smith and Josh Anderson scored two more runs.
The game winning run would be scored in the sixth when the Hops put three more on the board. Mark Karaviotis and Adam Walton had back to back doubles to produce another run. Jason Morozowski’s RBI single brought Walton home. Then, a wild pitch by Hawks Ryan McCormick allowed Morozowski to cross the plate.
A Jason Morozowski solo homer in the eighth would finish the scoring for Hillsboro.
Anfernee Benitez (W, 5-4), who was named NW League Pitcher of the Week for last week, started and lasted 5.1 innings for the win. Prior to the sixth, Benitez kept the game under control striking out four and walking two. The Hops had a 8-0 lead but Anfernee walked the first two batters of the sixth before Willie Abreu doubled the first runner home. Tommy Eveld came to the mound in relief with runners at second and third. Eveld allowed both base runners to score on Wesley Jones double before shutting the Hawks down. Kevin Ginkel and Curtis Taylor came on for the eighth and ninth to shut out the home team and allowed just one hit.
Jason Morozowski was the lead off batter for Hillsboro and had a busy night going 3 for 4 and a walk with a double, homer, scored three runs and two RBI. Mark Karaviotis smacked the other homer for the Hops going 2 for 5, scored three times, doubled, homered and hit three RBIs. Alexis Olmeda went 3 for 5, doubled and scored. Josh Anderson also had a multi-hit game.
Starting Hawks pitcher Robert Tyler was pulled after the first inning and Rico Garcia (L, 0-2) came to the mound absorbing the loss.
The Boise bats were outhit by the Hops, 12-9, and Hillsboro turned three double plays on the night to help them keep control of the game. Willie Abreu had the only multi-hit game for the Hawks going 2 for 4, doubled, scored and knocked a run across the plate. Eight of the nine Hawks batters hit safely in the game.
The win kept the Hillsboro Hops (8-5) tied with Eugene in first place. The loss dropped the Boise Hawks (6-7) two games behind the leaders. Both teams return to Memorial Stadium for the final game. The series is tied at 1-1.
Hops notes: the Hops re-activated last year’s fan favorite Stephen Dezzi from the restricted list. It is not known yet whether Dezzi will rejoin the team for the last road game in Boise or wait until the team returns home for a five game series with Vancouver.
by Greg Stoker
@GDStoker