Sean Williams/MDN Tyler Buchanan (18) of the Minot Vistas delivers a pitch during a game against the Mandan Chiefs on Wednesday at Corbett Field.

As the 2023 North Dakota American Legion Baseball season has been underway for a week now, the Minot Vistas finally got a chance to play at home when they welcomed the Mandan Chiefs to Corbett Field on Wednesday night.

“We’ve played really well and are giving a group effort, there has been a lot of different guys contributing. It’s not always pretty, but they keep playing hard,” head coach Pat Arntson said on the team’s performance through the early stages of the season.

In addition to getting a group effort, Arntson mentioned the Vistas have been throwing a lot of strikes and playing good defense so far, which has helped keep the team remain competitive in every game.

Heading into a matchup with a tough team like Mandan, the Vistas will need to continue playing the way they have to find success. “We are going to have to play well, that’s the biggest thing. We can’t just play clean, we are going to have to play well. If you don’t make any errors or walk anybody you can still lose to a team like Mandan.”

Arntson added, “You are going to have to do some things well and not just avoid doing things poorly. We are going to have to get a big hit, make a big play and see how it goes.”

Even though it took some time for the Vistas to get that big hit in game one, they eventually got it and then some, as they took down the Chiefs by a final of 10-0 to open the twinbill.

Through the early goings of game one, both starting pitchers did a good job of not giving up much to the opposition. Tyler Buchanan for Minot only allowed two hits and two walks through three innings and did not allow Mandan to score, while Casey Mack of Mandan allowed one hit and two walks through three innings and held the Vistas scoreless.

A double by Kellan Burke for the Vistas and a single each for Ian Longtin and Jaxon Duttenhefer of the Chiefs were all both teams were able to muster offensively, as one looked to take the first advantage of the contest.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, the Vistas got a single from Carson Deaver and Tyler Collins walked to put runners on first and second as they were building a scoring threat. A deep fly out from Tyson Ruzicka made the task taller, however, Tre Stewart came through with a two-out, RBI single to give the Vistas a 1-0 lead.

Hoping to continue adding to their lead, Aidan Diehl walked to load the bases, giving Morgan Nygaard a chance to do some damage at the plate. A lineout canceled the threat entirely, as the Vistas took their 1-0 lead into the fifth inning.

As the game moved into the final innings, the Vistas’ bats got stronger. Easton Panasuk singled, Burke reached on an error and Adam Roedocker walked to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth.

Showing patience in a big moment was Collins, who walked to bring home a run and give the Vistas a 2-0 lead. Ruzicka hitting into a fielder’s choice, a passed ball, and Stewart and Panasuk picking up an RBI single each brought in more runs, as the Vistas jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the fifth.

Keeping up with the strong performance of the bats was Buchanan on the mound, as he turned around and racked up his two strikeouts of the game in the sixth inning. In the bottom half of the frame, the Vistas ended the game when Collins drove in a run on a single, and Ruzicka added an RBI triple and scored on a wild pitch to bring the game to its final of 10-0.

Panasuk, Collins, Ruzicka and Stewart led the way for the Vistas by driving in two runs each, followed by Burke and Deaver who added a hit each. Buchanan went all six innings, allowing no runs on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Heading into game two, the Vistas were looking for an impressive sweep while the Chiefs aimed to even the night. Capping off a successful day, the Vistas were able to secure a sweep with a 7-4 win in game two.

This time, it was the Chiefs who struck first to open the game when Jaden Andresen singled to center field to drive in Easton Miller who singled earlier in the frame. The 1-0 lead didn’t last long, as a double by Nygaard set up a run off a double play, evening the tilt at 1-1 after the first.

The tie didn’t last long either, as Minot put up a crooked number in the bottom of the third. Diehl got the bats going with an RBI double, driving in Stewart who singled, then Diehl and Burke scored on a wild pitch and Nygaard scored on a groundout to give Minot a 5-1 lead.

After the Chiefs countered for a run in the top of the fourth, Ruzicka continued his powerful day by blasting a home run to right field, keeping Minot ahead 6-2 heading into the fifth. Despite a late effort by Mandan, Minot got an additional run and went on to win by a final of 7-4.

Panasuk, Ruzicka and Diehl led the way in game two by driving in a run each. Deaver started on the mound and went for five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Tonight, the Vistas will be back at home when they host the Bismarck Governors at Corbett Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.