Written by Kyle Tatelbaum

(BISMARCK, ND) – Timely hitting and clean defense power the Larks over the Hot Tots in the series finale in Mandan.

Minot jumped ahead in the bottom of the second inning after Jaeden Jordahl blasted his first home run over the left field wall. The Larks answered right back in the top of the third, taking the lead with two runs on two hits and an error. Jake Agarwal (Bellarmine University) reached on the Hot Tots shortstops third error in just as many games and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Nathan Martinez (College of San Mateo). With a runner in scoring position with one out, Alex Alva (University of Jamestown) hit his first double of the season to the opposite field, scoring Agarwal. With Alva still on second with two outs, Kyle Hvidsten singled up the middle to give the Larks a 2-1 lead.

The Hot Tots responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Jonah Shields (University of Charleston) led off with a single to right-center field and exchanged places with Tristian Moore (University of Houston) after a fielder’s choice. The Larks almost escaped the jam with two outs until Evan Dempsey (Florida Gulf Coast University) singled and both runners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. With two runners in scoring position, Trae Cassidy (Ohio University) singled on a hung 1-1 breaking ball, scoring Moore and Dempsey to give Minot a 3-2 lead. The Hot Tots extended their lead in the fourth after Jonah Shields reached base on his second hit of the evening and scored from second on a single from Tristian Moore after a stolen base. 

Bismarck tied the game in the fifth and took the lead for good in the sixth after Jaylen Edmonds (Arizona Christian University) and Theo Bryant IV (Tennessee Tech) quickly found themselves in scoring position after back-to-back walks and a wild pitch. Edmonds scored and Bryant IV advanced to third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kyle Hvidsten to cut the deficit to one, allowing Michael Davinni (University of Utah) to tie the game on an opposite-field single to right field. Nathan Martinez and Alex Alva started the sixth inning with back-to-back singles. With one out in the inning, Theo Bryant IV and Kyle Hvidsten followed with back-to-back RBI singles, driving in Martinez and Alva respectively. The Larks scored two more runs in the inning after putting pressure on the Hot Tots, pulling off a double steal to allow Bryant IV to score on a fielder’s choice and Hvidsten to score on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 8-4. 

The Hot Tots rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning, cutting the Larks’ lead to two runs after plating two. Tristan Moore singled with one out and Mateo Serna (University of Missouri) doubled for his second of the evening. Moore cut the lead to 3 after scoring on a fielder’s choice and Serna scored on Trae Cassidy’s second hit of the night to bring the Tots within 2. Larson Sholtz (Spartanburg Methodist University) shut the door in the ninth, recording his third save of the season. 

The Larks are back at home for a five-game homestand with two against the Minnesota Mud Puppies on Friday at 7:05, and Saturday at 6:35. The “Road to Roosevelt” Rivalry presented by Dakota Community Bank & Trust begins with two games against the Minot Hot Tots on Sunday and Monday, and a split home-road series against the Badlands Big Sticks with game one at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark scheduled for 6:35 first pitch. Tickets can be purchased at bismarck-larks.nwltickets.com