The Minot Hot Tots have a new trophy for the case. With a 13-2 rout of the Bismarck Larks on Sunday night, the Hot Tots claimed a Dakota Dust-Up championship. 

It all started with Henry Allen dropping a triple into right field with one out in the first inning. The following batter, Blake Cavill got credit for an RBI and hit on a slow-roller past the pitcher’s mound.

With the Tots on the board first, starting pitcher Camden Dimidjian went out to protect the lead. Dimidjian retired the first seven batters he would face before giving up a hit in the third inning.

Meanwhile, more run support was on the way. Robbie Demetree, who hit his first Northwoods League home run just two days ago, went yard again. A three-run homer by Demetree ballooned the lead to four runs in favor of the Tots.

Fast forward to the fourth, Dimidjian got into a bases-loaded, one out jam. With the help of a 6-4-3 double play, Minot escaped with the shutout still intact.

Dimidjian’s shutout would get lost the following inning on a two-RBI single by Ricardo Aponte, but more Minot offense was around the corner. In the bottom of the fifth, Matt Toomey doubled to right center and Cavill scored on the play. Later in the inning, Ethan Reader returned the favor, bringing Toomey home on an extra-base hit of his own. The Hot Tots put up three runs in the fifth to take an 8-2 lead.

Batting in the sixth inning, Home Run Challenge participant Henry Allen launched his 14th home run to left field. The solo shot also became Allen’s 50th run batted in of the season.

Camden Dimidjian’s start came to an end after six innings in which he allowed one earned run. In line for the victory, he just needed a solid outing from the bullpen to move to 3-1 on the season.

Before the bullpen could finish the game out, Minot’s bats continued to light up the scoreboard. Demetree would hit another blast in the seventh inning, putting the Tots up 11-2. Max Ortega demolished a pitch, clearing the fence, wall and street on his way to a two-run home run.

As for the bullpen, Josh Livengood, Nolan Girard and Braden Booth combined for three no-hit innings to keep the Larks away. Minot would win by a 13-2 final and take the season series against Bismarck seven games to five.

Henry Allen and Robbie Demetree shared SportClips MVP honors while another Hot Tot All-Star, Matt Toomey, made the First Command Play of the Game, tracking a fly ball all the way to the wall. Camden Dimidjian hit 89 mph for the SRT Fastest Pitch and the Tots drew four Buffalo Wild Wings Walks during the Sky Dancer Casino Big Win.

Minot will be off until Friday as the league heads to the All-Star Break. Allen and Toomey, along with the Minot Honeybees, will be taking over Madison, Wisconsin Monday through Wednesday. Check out all the All-Star festivities on the free NWL+ streaming platform.