Emeralds Complete 6-Run Comeback Victory with Walk-off Home Run on Opening Night
NWL Eugene Emeralds

Emeralds Complete 6-Run Comeback Victory with Walk-off Home Run on Opening Night

Published on April 3, 2026 under Northwest League (NWL)
Eugene Emeralds News Release


EUGENE, OR - For the 2nd straight season the Ems have sent the Opening Day fans home happy with a walk-off victory. Last year it was Charlie Szykowny who was the hero, and this year it was Gavin Kilen in his Ems Debut. He crushed an absolute no-doubt home run in the bottom of the 9th to give the Ems the 8-6 victory and complete the 6-run comeback on Opening Day.

It was a quiet start to tonight's sold-out Opening Night. Both teams went down 1-2-3 in order before the Hops jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning off of the bat of Wallace Clark who drove home the first run on a Sac-Fly. The Hops really opened things up in the 3rd as they put up 4 runs in the frame. Yassel Soler hit a 2-run home run before Avery Owusu-Asiedu and Yerald Nin recorded RBI base hits to give the Hops a 5-0 lead.

That took us to the 3rd inning where Alberto Barriga hit a solo home run to extend Hillsboro's lead out to 6. That proved to be the final run of the game for the Hops. It was a quiet 4th inning before everything changed in the 5th.

Walker Martin led off the 5th inning with a 406-foot home run to get Eugene on the board for the first time in the 2026 season. Zane Zielinski hit a 1-out single and Trevor Cohen walked to put the pressure on the Hops. Gavin Kilen stepped into the box and provided the spark the Ems needed with a 3-run home run that had an exit velocity of 106 mph to cut the lead to a pair.

The Ems picked up the next inning in the 6th to tie up the game. Walker Martin once again led off the inning with a hit, this time a double down the left field line. Diego Cartaya drew a walk and Zane Zielinski hit Martin home on a single. The Ems then played some small ball and Cohen hit into a groundout to move up the runners and Kilen picked up his 4th RBI of the night on a groundout to tie up the game at 6-6.

Tyler Switalski was the unsung hero of tonight's contest, as he pitched 3.2 innings and allowed just 2 hits, no runs, no walks and a whopping 8 strikeouts before turning the ball over to Ben Peterson with 2-outs in the 8th inning.

Peterson allowed a leadoff walk to start the 8th before Zielinski was able to turn a double play to wipe away the leadoff base runner. Peterson got Trent Youngblood to strikeout looking and the keys were turned over to the Emeralds offense to complete what was a magical night.

Cohen worked a tremendous first at-bat and drew a 5 pitch walk to put the game winning run on base with nobody out. Kilen wasted little time as he capped off his historic Opening Day with an absolute no-doubt home run to right field to complete the 6-run come from behind victory against the Hops.

What a game, what a night, and what a victory from the Ems. If this win tonight is a preview of what's in store, it's going to be a magical 71st season in Eugene.

#RootedHere

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Northwest League Stories from April 3, 2026


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