The Bismarck Larks returned home to Bismarck Municipal Ballpark after being swept by the St. Cloud Rox and the road. Looking to avoid losing five straight, the yellow birds hosted the Duluth Huskies for the opener of a two-game set. However, after losing the lead early, the Larks would fall to the Huskies by a score of 14-7.

The scoring started right away, as with one out in the first, the second batter of the game in Duluth’s Jared Mettham (St. Mary’s) hit a solo blast to put the Huskies out in front. Another run would come across to make it 2-0 after a half-inning.

The Larks would respond accordingly in the bottom half. A two-run double from AJ Kostic (Central Michigan) in his first at-bat tied the game at 2-2, and then Aaron Biediger (Dallas Richland), in his first at-bat at home, was hit by a pitch to give the Larks the lead. Bradlee Preap (UC San Diego) would hit into a double play to bring the fourth run of the inning in, as Bismarck led 4-2 after one.

However, the Larks would give up the lead in the third, and the Huskies would never look back. Three runs came in in the third, fourth, and sixth for the Huskies, as they used a combined three home runs as a team, two of them coming from Brandon Compton (Arizona State), as the freshman finished 4-6 with three RBI and a triple short of the cycle. Michael Hallquist (Minnesota – Crookston) also had a fine night, getting on base five of six times and going 2-3. Jared Mettam finished 3-6 with three RBI. 

The Larks would score once in the seventh and twice in the eighth, but that’s all the scoring they would do. All-Star Jack Herring (Rollins) and Luke Hammond (Xavier) were the only Larks with multiple-hit games, as Bismarck dropped its fifth straight and moved to 5-16 in the second half.

On the mound for Duluth, Liam Thompson (Cisco) got his first win of the summer in his first start, going five complete and giving up four. For the Larks, Grayson Eierman (Moberly Area) got the loss. The Metro Area Fastest Pitch of the Game came in the top of the ninth when reliever Ryan Taylor (Dallas Richland) hit 90 mph on the gun.

The Fetzer Electric Play of the Game came in the sixth inning. Shortstop Nick Oakley (UC Santa Barbara) made a fine play up the middle to turn a 6-3 double play to help the Larks get out of a jam.

With a league-wide off day in bound for tomorrow thanks to the Great Lakes All-Star Game, the Larks will return to action on Wednesday to close out the two-game series against the Huskies. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. CT. It is also Woof Wednesday at the park. Only on Wednesdays, come and see our brand-new bat dog Rosa from Elevate Canine Academy. Plus, test your throwing arm with Launch A Ball. Fans will have the chance to win $1,111 courtesy of Realty One Group.