Kari Gibb/MDN Berserkers (Hot Tots) pitcher Aidan Reichek (6) pitches in the first inning of game four against the Willmar Stingers on Thursday, June 20, at Corbett Field.

Northwood League baseball action got underway between the Minot Hot Tots (8-14) alter ego, the Berserkers and the Willmar Stingers (14-9) at Corbett Field on Thursday, June 22. Both teams are in the Great Plains West division. The Stingers sit atop of the standings, while the Hot Tots trail them by four and a half games coming into the contest and lost the fourth game 9-7 in the end.

The Stingers kicked things off on the scoreboard with back to back one-run home runs by Max Buettenback and Colin Hynek to lead the game 2-0 in the middle of the first innings.

The Hot Tots posted a run in the bottom of the first inning as Wyatt Reginato scored off Mateo Serna single to center field.

The Stingers promptly responded in the top of the second inning with two more runs. A Jack Spanier double to center field allowed Aidan Byrne and Derek Lopez to cross home plate. The Stingers lead 4-1 after the second innings.

The Stingers continued to thread their needle in the top of the third inning. The runs came when Gabe Swnesen scored off Byrne triple to right field and Byrne would add a run of his own off Spanier putout.

The Hots took the lead in the bottom of the third innings by going on scoring blitz with six runs. Tristan Moore scored on a Jack Matousek single to third basemen. Mateo Serna scored the second run of the inning on a Sam Holthaus bases loaded walk. Matousek scored on a bases-loaded walk, advancing Xavier Esquer to first base. Jaeden Jordahl later scored as Cody Grebeck was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Holthaus and Esquer scored on Jonah Shields reaching base safely off a fielder’s error, the Hot Tots led 7-6 at the end of the third inning.

A solo home run by the Stingers Andrew Sojka in the top of the fourth inning tied the game at a 7-7 score.

The Stingers delivered the final blow of the game with a Spanier two-run home run that also allowed Harrison Taubert to score.

The Stingers walked out of Corbett Field with the victory and a 3 to 1 series win over the Hot Tots.

The Hot Tots batted 3-for-29 and had three errors. Matousek batted 2-for-4, with one run scored and had two RBI’s. Shields batted 1-for-5, with two RBI’s. Moore had a run and two walks. Regianto had a run and one walk. Holthaus had one run, one RBI and one walk. Esquer had one run, one RBI and one walk. Serna had one run and two walks. Jordahl had one run and one walk. Cody Grebeck had one RBI.

Aidan Reichek pitched three innings, allowing six hits, six runs, one walk and struck out one batter. Edwin Corrales pitched two innings, allowing two hits, one run, three walks and struck out one batter. Rhys Francis pitched two innings, allowing two hits and two runs. Evan Dempsey pitched two innings, allowing one hit and struck out three batters.

The Stingers batted 11-for-37 and had two errors on the night. Byrne batted 3-for-4, with two runs scored and a RBI. Spanier batted 2-for-4, one run scored and two RBI. Rhett Stokes batted 2-for-4 and had a walk. Sojka batted 1-for-4, one run scored, a home-run and an RBI. Buettenback batted 1-for-4, one run scored, a home run, an RBI and had a walk. Hynek batted 1-for-4, one run scored, a home run and had an RBI. Taubert batted 1-for-5, one score, a home-run, and two RBI’s. Lopez scored a run and had two walks.Swensen scored a run.

Will Eldridge pitched two and one-third innings, allowing three hits, seven runs, seven walks and struck out four batters. Brooks Kneifl pitched three and two-third innings, allowing one walk and struck out one batter. Aiden Hansen pitched three innings and struck out four hitters.