June 3, 2025

The Larks offense was held to just one run for the second straight night at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark on Tuesday, as the Hot Tots picked up their first win of the season.

That run came in the first inning. Ricardo Aponte smoked a triple into the gap in right field, and Jayder Raifstanger brought him in on a fly ball to left field. From then on, Kahler Key, the Hot Tots starting pitcher, was dominant. Key gave up just one more hit and held the Larks to that singular run through seven innings of work.

The Hot Tots responded in the early innings with the long ball. Max Ortega led off the top of the second inning with a solo home run to left field. It was Ortega’s first at bat of the season with the Hot Tots. The very next inning, Henry Allen would hit a bomb to center field to give the Hot Tots a 2-1 lead. Henry Allen’s sacrifice fly would make the game 3-1, and the game would end by that score. The Larks were held to just three hits all night.

With the loss, the Larks fall to 3-6, and the Hot Tots improve to 1-7. Game two of the 11-game Dakota Dust-Up Rivalry is set for June 4th. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark.