By Owen Patterson

MINOT. ND – Despite three hits, the Minot Berserkers remained in a battle with the Willmar Stingers that would go all the way down to the wire. Using a late home run to their advantage, the Stingers pulled away and won the series, 9-7.

With two outs in the top of the first, the Stingers would start the fireworks getting back-to-back home runs from Max Buettenback and Colin Hyneck to take a 2-0 lead. A Jack Matousek single in the bottom half of the inning for Minot would cut the deficit in half.

Willmar would follow up the run-scoring first inning with two more scores in the second and another two in the third. Down 6-1, and with the top of the lineup due in the third inning, Minot found their opportunity to strike. Thanks to four walks, two hit batters, one Willmar error and just one hit, the Berserkers scored six runs to take the lead.

In the following half inning, the Stingers would tie the game on another home run, this time by Andrew Sojka, the league-leader in home runs. The new 7-7 score would hold until the eighth inning. Using the power of one more home run, the Stingers went back in front, 9-7.

From the six-run third inning on, the Berserkers were held off of the scoreboard by Willmar relief pitching. The most notable being the winning pitcher, Aiden Hansen. Hansen threw three scoreless in his second appearance against Minot.

The First Command Play of the Game was made in the sixth inning: a 5-4-3 double play turned by the Berserkers.

Following the loss, the Berserkers will go back to being Hot Tots for a six-game road trip through Minnesota.