Minot N.D. – The Hot Tots came back in the second of a four-game series, this time beating the Express by 5 with a final score of 5-0.
Minot’s starter, Gage Yost was effective through 6 innings but proved that you can have a successful outing without racking up strikeouts. Express batters were only fanned a total of 4 times on the night, as they were able to continually put the ball in play. However, when the ball was in play, so was the defense for the Hot Tots.
Eau Claire was able to record 6 hits as a team over the course of the game, led by Reed Latimer (Montevallo), who went 2 for 4. Other than he and a few other hits throughout the lineup, the Express weren’t able to get much offensive action going.
Defensively both teams looked sharp, as neither Eau Claire nor Minot tallied a single error through 9 innings. As for the Eau Claire pitching staff, the combination of Issac Lyon (GCU) and Michael Trausch (Central Arizona) was a mostly solid group on the mound. Lyon recorded 4 strikeouts through 5 innings, but Minot had his number in the 4th and 5th innings, scoring two runs in each.
Trausch tallied 6 strikeouts of his own in just 3 innings on the night, and his lone earned run came in the bottom of the 8th on a Christian Peréz double. Other than this shot, Trausch showed poise and solid command on the mound as he only gave up 2 hits.
The Express will get another chance against the Hot Tots tomorrow in Minot. First Pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. CST.
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