The first meeting between the Minot Hot Tots and Bismarck Larks of the 2026 season could not have set a higher bar for the remaining eleven matchups. A tight game the whole way through ended in a wild way: a walk-off wild pitch. The Tots went a game up on the Larks in defense of the Wagon Wheel trophy, winning Monday’s meeting, 5-4.

Kahler Key looked strong once again on the mound. The ace of the Hot Tot pitching staff completed five innings against the Larks with the only big trouble coming in the first inning. Hits by Jackson Keilen and Noah Caceres put two Bismarck runs on the board. Minot would get back at the Larks’ early charge with one run in the bottom of the first.

Key would end his day allowing five hits and three runs over his five innings of work while striking out three. He left the game in line for the win thanks to two powerful swings by the Hot Tot offense.

In the third inning, Tyler Arnold got all of a Gage Miller pitch and set the ball to a new address. The two-run tank lifted Minot’s spirits and put the Tots in front, 3-2. To lead off the fourth inning, returning Hot Tot, Christian Stratis, got one to go out near the left-field foul pole. It was Stratis’ first home run since rejoining the club.

Once the starting pitchers were taken out by the sixth inning, the game got intense. Minot was held hitless for three innings by Bismarck reliever Sage Stout. In the meantime, the Larks benefited on two free bases and a sacrifice fly to tie the game in the seventh, 4-4.

That score would hold even when the Tots had two in scoring position in the eighth inning. Neither runner would score and the game went to the ninth tied.

Kevin Rahe pitched two scoreless innings of relief for Minot, keeping the Larks away from home plate in the eighth and ninth and setting up a walk-off situation for the Hot Tots.

Minot started their half of the ninth with two ground balls. TJ Stottlemyre grounded out to second, but Nathan Belle reached on a throwing error by Bismarck’s Jaden Correa. With the winning run on, Kellan Burke slapped a line-drive into center field putting two on for Andrew Clapinski. It wouldn’t be Clapinski’s bat that got the job done, though. A wild pitch by Jacob Culp advanced Belle to third and without anyone covering home plate, Belle turned the corner and scored the game’s winning run.

The Tots captured a Sky Dancer Casino Big Win in exciting fashion, 5-4. Nathan Belle was named SportClips MVP for reaching base three times and his heads-up base running, which was also First Command Play of the Game. Clayton Stewart recorded Monday’s SRT Fastest Pitch of 91 mph.

The Dakota Dust-Up series continues on Tuesday in Bismarck. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm at Municipal Ballpark.