Written by Kyle Tatelbaum

(BISMARCK, ND) – Game one of a two-game series against the Minot Hot Tots was a seesaw battle with seven lead changes.

Tristan Moore (University of Houston) became the first batter to reach base in tonight’s game, walking on five pitches. The bases ran full with two outs after Evan Dempsey (Florida Gulf Coast University) walked and Trae Cassidy (Ohio University) recorded his eighth against the Larks this season. Just one strike away from escaping the jam, the Hot Tots scratched home a run as Tristian Moore scurried home on a wild pitch to give Minot a 1-0 lead. 

The Larks responded in the bottom half of the frame, scoring two runs on three hits. Alex Alva (University of Jamestown) drove the first pitch from Hot Tots’ starter Kaden Arn (Bowling Green State University) through the left side of the infield for a single. Alva now ranks top two in the Northwoods League in his with 19. Tye Wood (University of New Mexico) reached on a hit-by-pitch, and CJ Richmond (Western Michigan) tied the ballgame at 1-1 on a single to right field. Joey Baran (Western Kentucky) hopped on Richmond’s wave, giving the Larks a 2-1 lead on the second consecutive RBI single.

The Tots reclaimed the lead in the second, plating three runs on three hits, two walks, and an error. Lucas Pringle (Charleston Southern University) walked to start the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Keanu Jacobs-Guishard (Grambling State University) followed with a single, advancing Pringle to third. Minot tied the game on a 4-6-3 double play hit by Nick Alonso (Louisiana Tech University). With two outs in the inning, Wyatt Reginato (Colorado State University-Pueblo) and Tristian Moore recorded back-to-back hits, and Mateo Serna (University of Missouri) was hit to load the bases. The Hot Tots took the lead on a ground ball mishandled by the Larks’ first basemen and added another run on a walk with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 4-2. 

Bismarck recaptured the lead in the bottom of the second, matching the Hot Tots’ three runs from the top of the frame. Michael Davinni (University of Utah) reached on a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second after Mathis Meurant (University of Arizona) drew a walk. Tye Wood drove the first pitch he saw down the right field line, scoring Davinni and Meurant on a stand-up triple to tie the game at 4. Theo Bryant IV (Tennessee Tech) delivered, giving the Larks a 5-4 lead on a sacrifice fly. 

Minot responded in the top of the third, scoring two runs to take the lead. Lucas Pringle walked to start consecutive innings and Keanu Jacobs-Guishard followed with a walk. Both runners advanced 180 feet on consecutive wild pitches with Pringle coming home as the tying run. Wyatt Reginato reached on a walk and was caught stealing at second base, but allowed Jacob-Guishard to give the Tots the lead, scoring from third on the throwdown to second base. Minot added two more runs in the fourth, claiming an 8-5 lead. Mateo Serna singled to start the inning but was eliminated on a fielder’s choice from Evan Dempsey. Consecutive singles from Trae Cassidy and Jaeden Jordahl (University of Charleston) loaded the bases, setting the stage for Lucas Pringle who drove in Dempsey and Cassidy on a single looped in front of the Larks’ left fielder. 

The Larks took a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning after preventing the Hot Tots from scoring for the first time in the top of the frame. Andrew Ivy JR (Arizona Christian University) recorded his first double of the season with one out and scored on a single to the left fielder from Michael Davinni to cut the deficit to 8-6. 

Bismarck claimed the lead for good in the sixth inning on four runs and four consecutive hits. Tye Wood recorded his second hit of the game to start the inning, followed by a single from Theo Bryant IV. CJ Richmond cut the lead to one, scoring Wood on his second double of the game. Joey Baran gave the Larks a 9-8  lead on a 1-2 single to the centerfielder, scoring Richmond and Wood. After reaching on a fielder’s choice and advancing to third on a single from Andrew Ivy Jr, Kyle Hvidsten (Western Kentucky) scored the fourth run of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Michael Davinni. 

The Larks added an insurance run in the seventh inning powered by back-to-back hits from Tye Wood and Theo Bryant IV. Wood recorded his third hit of the evening, the second on the first pitch on a single to the right fielder. Bryant IV followed with his second hit of the evening on a 2-1 single to score Wood from second after a stolen base. 

David Chase (Iowa Western CC) and Enas Hayden (Purdue University) combined for four scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Larks after the Hot Totts scored each of the first four. Chase appeared in the fifth, throwing two innings allowing no hits, striking out two, and walking three batters. Hayden followed in relief, tossing two 1-2-3 innings while recording one strikeout. 

Leading by three in the top of the ninth inning the Hot Tots refused to go down, scoring six runs on four hits, three walks, and a hit-by-pitch. Lucas Pringle, Keanu Jacob-Guishard, and Wyatt Reginato loaded the bases without recording a hit. Tristan Moore cut the lead to one on a two-RBI single up the middle. After Mateo Serna re-loaded the bases on a walk, Evan Dempsey gave the Hot Tots the lead scoring Reginato and Moore. Trae Cassidy and Jaeden Jordahl added two insurance runs on back-to-back RBI singles, stretching the Minot lead to 14-11. 

Ayden Sauerbrei (Minot State University) slammed the door in the ninth inning, earning the win while striking out Jaylen Edmonds (Arizona Christian University) and Tye Wood to complete the six-out save. 

The Larks are back tomorrow at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark for the finale against the Minot Hot Tots. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm. Tickets can be secured at https://bismarck-larks.nwltickets.com/