A heaping of scoring plays right away in Friday night’s game was enough for the Minot Hot Tots to pick up a series-open win against the Badlands Big Sticks, 10-7.
With two out in the top of the first, Minot got on the board. Will Smoot cleared the bases on a double to center field, making the score 3-0 in favor of the Hot Tots.
Minot got right back to it in the second inning with a three-run home run off the bat of Charlie Kalbrener. The no-doubter to right field doubled the Tots’ lead before a bases-loaded walk would extend it further. The Hot Tots had sent a strong message, leading 7-0 after two innings on the road.
Badlands wouldn’t back down though. Hometown product Troy Berg lifted the Big Sticks’ spirits with a three-run blast in the third inning and would be followed up by a two-run homer by Connor Massimini just a few batters later. A five-run frame made things more interesting, but it wouldn’t be long before the Hot Tots found a few more.
In a two on, one out situation in the top of the fifth, Zach Doyle laid down a bunt. The throw to get him out at first sailed into right field, allowing both base runners to score and Doyle to reach third. Doyle would score on Matt Toomey’s RBI double and the Hot Tots held a 10-5 lead halfway through the ballgame.
The only issue Hot Tot starter Braden Booth encountered was the five-run third inning. Other than that, Booth did not allow another run to finish out a five-inning start. Austin Puett would go three innings out of the bullpen, conceding one run in the eighth inning. Pavlos Piperakis would struggle a bit in the ninth inning, giving up a hit and three walks, but had enough cushion that the one run that would score did not matter in the end.
Minot is off to a 1-0 start in the second annual Chord Energy Battle of the Badlands rivalry. The Hot Tots will go for a series sweep of the Big Sticks tomorrow at 7:35 pm CT from Dickinson.
Braden Booth was the victorious pitcher and SportClips MVP of the game. Charlie Kalbrener’s monster home run in the second inning was hands down the First Command Play of the Game. The Hot Tots ended the game with four Buffalo Wild Wings Walks drawn. The victory goes down as Sky Dancer Casino Big Win number nine of the season.
