MINOT, ND – Facing a high-scoring Willmar Stingers team on Sunday afternoon, the Minot Hot Tots came prepared for a slugfest. With timely hitting, the Hot Tots delivered a knockout punch and defeated the Stingers, 13-7. Designated hitter Aiden Yochim led the effort collecting two hits and reaching base all five times he came up to bat.
Minot got off to a strong start, getting a 1-2-3 inning from starting pitcher Will Paxton and three runs from the offense in the bottom of the first. Yochim and Adrian Dominguez gathered RBI hits in the big inning.
Willmar would get rolling in the second inning with a Max Buettenback RBI. In the third, the Stingers tied the game on a Merrick Rapoza home run and took a 4-3 lead on another Buettenback run-scoring hit.
The Hot Tots did not waver with Willmar’s attack. Dominguez found the left-center field gap for a second time, scoring a run and putting Minot back in front, 5-4.
Minot had to go to the bullpen in the fourth inning, trusting Evan Cichanofsky with long-relief work. Cichanofsky handled the Stinger offense well, allowing six hits but just one run across 3.1 innings.
By the end of Cichanofsky’s appearance, the Hot Tots gave him some run support. A sixth inning riddled with wild pitches resulted in three Minot runs to extend the lead.
Kevin Rahe filled in for Cichanofsky during the seventh inning and carried on the strong pitching performance. With Rahe taking the mound on Sunday, he set a new Minot Hot Tots record with his 23rd pitching appearance of the season. Rahe would go 2.2 innings to end the game.
Minot’s bats would celebrate one last hoorah with back-to-back doubles by Yochim and Tyler Humphrey in the eighth inning. Those two hits tallied four runs for the Hot Tots put Minot ahead 13-5.
A two-run home run is all the Stingers would get in the top of the ninth, falling six runs short. With the 13-7 Sky Dancer Casino Big Win, the Hot Tots split the weekend series with Willmar.
Aiden Yochim, with three runs batted in and two hits was named SportClips MVP. The First Command Play of the Game was a diving catch by first baseman Adrian Dominguez. Will Paxton threw the SRT Fastest Pitch early in the game at 90 mph.
There is just one more chance to catch the Hot Tots at home! They will host the Bismarck Larks on Tuesday, August 4 with the Dakota Dust-Up rivalry trophy on the line. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm.
