DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (20-18 overall, 2-2 second half) were unable to complete the sweep of the Minot Hot Tots (15-25 overall, 2-2 second half), dropping the series finale 5-2 to split the two game set on Friday evening.

The Hot Tots opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st inning when Alex Altmann hit a solo home run, his second of the series, to put Minot ahead 1-0.

The Big Sticks responded in the top of the 3rd inning when Dylon Myrow (Nebraska) singled into right field, scoring Nathan Nance Jr. (NW FL State JC) from second base. Badlands then took the lead when Myrow scored on an RBI groundout by Dakota Howard (Southeastern), putting the scoreline at 2-1.

Minot tied the game in the bottom of the 4th inning with an RBI single by Sohrab Rezaei, then retook the lead by scoring on an error to make the score 3-2.

The Hot Tots would then add two more runs in the bottom of the 5th and 7th innings, plating one in the 5th with an RBI groundout and then one more in the 7th with an RBI single by Tyler Arnold, adding to the cushion and making the score 5-2.

The Big Sticks threatened in the top of the 9th inning with a leadoff double by Derek Martinez (Arkansas State), but suffered three consecutive strikeouts to end the game.

The Big Sticks will play one more game before the all-star break, taking on the Bismarck Larks in the Railroad to Roosevelt Rivalry on July 4th, with first pitch scheduled for 4:35 p.m. MST.