In their first trip to Duluth, Minnesota in over two years, the Minot Hot Tots were held hitless for six innings and were unable to make up ground, losing 11-3 to the Duluth Huskies on Monday evening.

Duluth’s starting pitcher Maddox Meyer could do no wrong in his start against the Hot Tots. The freshman from Omaha started off the game by facing the minimum through six whole innings. The only Minot baserunner to that point, Bryson Hoier, reached on a hit by pitch, but was called out on a batter interference play resulting in an inning-ending double play.

Meyer would eventually cave in, allowing four hits and three runs to score in the seventh, but his start was beyond satisfactory, earning his first victory and tying a season-high with six strikeouts.

As for the Hot Tot pitching, starter Kahler Key was roughed up early on. The Huskies pieced together three hits in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead and then used a Noah Furcht two-run home run in the third to extend it to a 3-0 margin. Key lasted 4.1 innings, in which seven runs crossed the plate.

Out of the bullpen, Pavlos Piperakis, Kyle Burns and JR Fordham combined to allow four hits and four more runs but collectively struck out seven Duluth batters.

Even with Maddox Meyer out of the game, the Hot Tots were simply stuck in the late innings against a hot Huskies team who picked up their third consecutive win on Monday.

With the 11-3 losing decision, Minot drops to 3-12 on the season but will go for at least a split tomorrow in Duluth. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm CT.

Tate Vogler was named SportClips MVP in his Hot Tot debut, going 1-for-4 with an RBI double. Vogler’s extra-base hit was also deemed First Command Play of the Game. A total of four Buffalo Wild Wings Walks were drawn by the Hot Tots in the contest.