Written by Kyle Tatelbaum

(BISMARCK, ND) – Bismarck bats show promise, notching a season-high 13 hits while driving in 15 runs.

The Hot Tots would strike first in the second inning after Elias Fiddler (University of Utah) led off the inning with a walk and Sam Holthaus (St. Cloud Technical and Community College) followed with a single. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Hunter Miller (University of South Carolina Beaufort) scored Fiddler on a fielder’s choice for the first run of the game. Minot was able to scratch another run across with two outs as Holthaus scurried home to score on the second wild pitch of the inning. 

Bismarck responded in the bottom half of the frame, scoring three runs on a bases-clearing double off the bat of Jake Agarwal (Bellarmine University) on a 2-0 fastball snuck inside the left field foul line. The Larks added runs in consecutive innings after Theo Bryant IV (Tennessee Tech) singled and back-to-back walks from Brady Krzciok (Central Michigan) and Isaac Huettl loaded the bases. Will Millard (Hillsdale CC), who hit the walk-off single in last night’s contest against Minot, drove in Bryant on a hard groundout to the shortstop to make it a 4-2 ballgame. After Mathis Meurant (University of Arizona) walked with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Theo Bryant IV blasted a two-run home run over the wall to put the Larks up 6-2. 

Minot would get two runs back in the top of the fifth inning after Jonah Shields (California State University Bakersfield) singled and Jaeden Jordahl (University of Charleston) walked to lead off the inning. The Larks almost escaped the jam, but with two outs Wyatt Reginato (Colorado State University-Pueblo) doubled into left-center field to drive in both runners to pull within two. 

Larks bats responded with a four spot in the bottom half of the sixth inning after Alex Alva (University of Jamestown) tripled down the first base line to lead off the frame and scored on a sacrifice fly from Mathis Meurant. Theo Bryant singled for his third hit of the day and Isaac Huettl (North Iowa Area Community College) reached on a walk. In the next at-bat, Will Millard stayed hot, firing a triple down the right-field line to score two runners, giving the Larks a 9-4 lead. 

The Hot Tots cut the lead to three runs in the top of the seventh inning, scoring two runs on a hit-by-pitch, an error, and two walks. Bismarck scored four runs in the bottom half of the frame on three hits. Meurant reached on a fielder’s choice and Theo Bryant walked to allow Brady Krzciok to drive both runners in on his second double in just as many games. Isaac Huettl drew his third walk of the game and Will Millard followed with his second walk. Huettl scored after Andrew Niaves (Bismarck State College) legged out his third hit of the game and Millard would score on the very next pitch on an error by the Minot shortstop to give the Larks a 14-6 lead. 

Minot and Bismarck each scratched a run across in the eighth inning, raising the run total to 22 on the evening. Jaeden Jordahl walked and advanced to third on a single from Tristan Moore (University of Houston) allowing Jordahl to score from third on a wild pitch for the Hot Tots. In his first appearance of the season, Tyler Turner (Hillsdale College) reached first on a dropped third strike and advanced from first to third on an errant pickoff attempt from Minot pitcher Ayden Sauerbrei (Minot State University), and scored on a balk on the very next play. 

Jacob Roberts (Palm Beach State) recorded eight of the final nine outs in the game, striking out five batters while allowing just one earned run. 

The Larks will travel to Minot to play two games on Sunday and Monday at 4:05 and 6:45 respectively. Both teams will travel back to Bismarck Municipal Ballpark on Wednesday ahead of game five of the six-game series scheduled for 6:35 pm first pitch. Tickets can be secured at larkstickets.com. 

Written by Kyle Tatelbaum