Bismarck, North Dakota- The Minnesota Mud Puppies (4-12, 9-21) defeated the Bismarck Larks (13-15, 29-33) on Missouri River Motorboaters night at Dakota Community Bank and Trust Field to kick off August baseball.

Minnesota’s Carter Sintek singled off Brett Buchanan to lead off the game and stole second base. Brayden Kohls singled and Connor Larsen was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Sintek scored on a Dayton Franke hit-by-pitch, putting Minnesota up 1-0.

With one out in the bottom of the 1st, Blade Carver singled, Luke Stulga doubled, and Noah Caceres walked, loading the bases against Carson Walker. Drew Kleinheider grounded out, scoring Carver, and Walker threw a wild pitch, scoring Stulga to put Bismarck up 2-1.

Minnesota retaliated in the top of the 2nd, with Holden Peacock slashing a 1-out triple to center and Sintek driving him in with an RBI single. Sintek stole second again and moved to third on a flyout, scoring on a dropped strikeout.

In the bottom of the inning, Trevor Goodwin and Carmelo Rivera reached base, with Goodwin scoring on a Keegan Landis RBI single. Carver then brought home Rivera on a sacrifice fly, putting Bismarck back up 4-3.

Bismarck added on in the bottom of the 4th, with Goodwin, Jesse Contreras, and Rivera each hitting a single. Goodwin scored on a Keegan Landis sacrifice fly, and Contreras scored on a Noah Caceres RBI single. Bismarck grabbed their biggest lead of the game, up 6-3.

In the top of the 5th, Minnesota’s Kohls and Landon Jasper reached on walks and advanced to second and third. Gavin Stewart came in to the game and gave up an RBI groundout to Franke followed by an RBI single from Aidan Perry, bringing Minnesota within 1.

The Mud Puppies continued their offensive onslaught in the top of the 6th, with 4 straight singles from Nolan Welke, Kohls, Jasper, and Connor Larsen. Perry added an RBI double, scoring Jasper. Avery Shelton entered for Bismarck and surrendered an RBI groundout to Nick Ibrahim, giving Minnesota a 9-6 lead.

Minnesota added on in the 7th against Gabe Jacobs, with Sintek, Welke, and Kohls loading the bases, setting up a 2-RBI single from Jasper, putting the Mud Puppies up 11-6.

In the top of the 9th, Welke, Kohls, and Jasper loaded the bases again, with Larsen walking in a run and Franke grounding out to score another. Perry grounded out to score Minnesota’ final run, giving them a 14-6 lead.

After being shut out through 4 innings against Lake Hagen-koelbl, Bismarck plated 3 runs in the 9th off of Logan Campbell. Stulga swatted a 1-out single and advanced to third. He scored on a Kleinheider groundout with an errant throw at third base. Farmer drew a walk with 2 outs, setting up Goodwin for a 2-RBI double, driving in Kleinheider and Farmer. Contreras struck out to end the game.

Lake Hagen-koelbl (1-0) earned the victory in his first appearance of the season, throwing 4 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 4. Bismarck’s Gavin Stewart (1-1) took the loss, throwing 1.0 innings while surrendering 4 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks, striking out 1.

The Mud Puppies and Larks will finish off their 2-game series at Municipal Ballpark at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.