By Owen Patterson

MINOT, ND – Even under a new name, the Minot Berserkers still were unable to slay the Bismarck Larks despite strong performances across the beard (or board). A late scoring run by the Larks did the trick in a 9-6 Bismarck win.

Aidan Reichek made his second start of the Northwoods League season, and again pitched well. The sophomore from Centenary College started the game with five consecutive strikeouts. Reichek would pitch a season-long four innings allowing two Larks runs and striking out six total.

The Berserkers would begin the scoring with a solo home run from Jaeden Jordahl in the bottom of the second inning. Jordahl’s fly ball got up in the 20-plus mile per hour wind and left Corbett Field for his first longball of the summer.

Bismarck would go up 2-1 after two and a half innings, but the Berserkers were back in the lead following a two-RBI hit by Trae Cassidy. In the fourth, Tristan Moore would add to the Minot lead by driving home Jonah Shields, but after the inning ended, another Larks comeback was on.

Now facing Minot reliever Nolan Phillips, Bismarck would put up two runs in the fifth, chasing Phillips out of the game after recording two outs. Drew Maust would end the fifth inning on one pitch, but a culmination of timely Bismarck batting and defensive mishaps by Minot, would lead to four more Bismarck runs. After six innings, the Larks lead 8-4.

Help was on the way for the Berserkers with RBIs by Evan Dempsey and Trae Cassidy. In the eighth inning, the defense would make the First Command Play of the Game: a 5-4-3 double play. The Berserkers ninth inning rally began with a two-out double by Mateo Serna, but would end on the next batter. 

Thursday’s game wrapped up a week-long series between Bismarck and Minot. The Larks would take five wins in the six-game set. It won’t be long though until the two squads meet up again, with another two-game series starting on Sunday in Bismarck.