Written by Kyle Tatelbaum

(BISMARCK, ND) – Despite a great day at the plate for Meurant, the Larks fall to 1-1 after a slew of errors and free bases. 

St. Cloud jumped ahead in the first inning and never trailed after leadoff hitter Francesco Barbieri reached third base on an error to left field on the first play of the game. Barbieri came in to score on a fielder’s choice in the following at-bat and Jackson Haugee followed, crushing a solo home run to left-center field to put the Rox up 2-0. 

Mathis Meurant responded, roping a double to left field and later coming to score on a clutch two-out knock up the middle from infielder Nathan Martinez. 

St. Cloud added another run in the top of the second after a pair of singles and an E5 brought in a run.

The score remained 3-1 in favor of the Rox until Ryan McKay led off the inning with a single, who later scored after Meurant blasted a game-tying two-run home run over the left field wall, tying the game at 3 apiece. 

On how his swing felt tonight, Meurant said… “It felt great, I struggled yesterday but it was much better today … “Right now the right side feels good”. 

The Rox broke the 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of the Larks’ miscues on a two-RBI double off the bat of Kade Lewis, driving in Barbieri and Sawyer Smith who reached on a walk and an error respectively. St. Cloud added four more runs of insurance in the top of the eighth on a pair of hit batters, an error, two singles, and two walks. The Rox would officially put the game out of reach in the ninth, after two walks, a wild pitch, and a passed ball scored two runs. 

The Larks will be back at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark tomorrow at 6:35 pm against the Duluth Huskies. Tickets can be secured at larkstickets.com.