What looked to be a signed, sealed and nearly delivered win for the Minot Hot Tots on Wednesday night turned out going the opposite direction. With four runs in the ninth and the ability to escape a bases-loaded jam, the Willmar Stingers flipped the script and defeated the Hot Tots 8-6.
The game got off to an unfortunate start for the Hot Tots when their starting pitcher, PJ Brown, removed himself from the game with an injury after just two pitches. Minot had to scramble and find a long reliever and went with Will Paxton. Despite the emergency call, Paxton handled it well by facing the minimum in the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, the Hot Tots manufactured two runs with a sacrifice fly and sneaky baserunning play.
Willmar responded with a big inning of their own in the second. Jehee Lee, in his debut game with the Stingers, tripled to right-center and brought home two runs to put the Stingers ahead, 3-2. A Cru Huenfeld home run in the fourth inning made it 4-2 Willmar and that score would hold for a while.
Minot’s offense was silenced by Jamie Vicens who went 5.0 innings for the Stingers striking out a career-high nine batters. The Hot Tots found a way to jump on the Stinger bullpen once Vicens left. In the bottom of the seventh, Minot loaded the bases with the first three batters. Chris Daniels sent a ball all the way to the warning track and it fell for a two-RBI double, the First Command Play of the Game.
With the game tied, Willmar made a mid-inning pitching change but that didn’t stop Minot. An error by the Stingers and a Nathan Belle base-hit finished off a four-run frame for the Tots.
Up 6-4, the Hot Tots asked Jacob Galloway to close out the game. He made it through 3.2 innings before being replaced on the mound with two outs in the ninth inning. Kevin Rahe was called in to get the one final out, but instead, the game flipped on its head. A walk, single, double and triple produced four Willmar runs in the ninth and gave the visitors an 8-6 advantage.
Minot would not give up all hope in the bottom half, loading the bases for TJ Stottlemyre with two outs. In one of the more odd ways to end a baseball game, a pitch timer violation was called on Stottlemyre in a 2-2 count resulting in an automatic strike three.
The first game of the series was full of twists and turns and resulted in an 8-6 Willmar victory. The Stingers and Tots will meet up once again on Thursday night for Princesses and Superheroes Night at Corbett Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm.
Chris Daniels was also named SportClips MVP going 1-for-4 with the game-tying RBI double to his credit. Will Paxton threw the SRT Fastest Pitch of 92 mph.
