KARI GIBB/MDN Minot pitcher Aiden Reichek works from the mound against the Mankato MoonDogs on Thursday at Corbett Field.

The Minot Hot Tots (9-20) returned home to Corbett Field on Thursday, June 27, to face the Mankato MoonDogs (15-13) in a Northwood League match up as the all star break approaches. Minot would lose the first game of the series by a 5-1 score in what was initially a close game up until the eighth inning.

The MoonDogs Matthew Fleischhacker scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning on a stolen base from third that was initiated by Brody Delamielleure put out, while teammate Gabriel Miranda was caught stealing at second base on the same play. The MoonDogs led 1-0 at the end of the first inning.

The Moondogs added two more runs in the top of the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Jake Duer and Riley Jackson scored on a ball four, wild pitch that advanced Ryan Ward to first base.

The Hot Tots scored one run in the bottom of the second inning when Wyatt Reginato scored on Keanu Jacobs-Guishard double to left field. The MoonDogs led 3-1 at the end of the second innings.

Both teams would go scoreless over the course of the next five innings. The MoonDog finally broke the scoreless spell by adding two more runs to the scorecard at the top of the eighth inning. Casey Sorg and Zach Crandall scored on a Josh Alexander triple to right field to make it a 5-1 MoonDog.

The Hot Tots batted 4-for-33 and had one error in the game. Anthony Potestio batted 1-for-3 and had a walk. Mateo Serna batted 1-for-3 and walked once. Xavier Esquer batted 1-for-4. Jacobs-Guishard batted 1-for-4 and had an RBI. Regianto scored a run and walked once. Adam Berghult walked once.

Aidan Reichek pitched six innings, allowing three hits, three runs, walked two and struck out four batters. Kaden Arn pitched one inning, allowing one hit, walked one and struck out one batter. Jacob Mallozzi pitched one inning, allowing three hits, two runs and walked one. Ayden Sauerbrei pitched one inning and walked one and struck out two batters.

The MoonDogs batted 7-for-31 and had four errors in the game. Crandall batted 1-for-1. Sorg batted 1-for-1 and scored one run. Ward batted 1-for-3 and had a walk. Alexander batted 1-for-4 and had two RBIs. Jackson batted 1-for-4 and scored a run. Fleischhacker batted 1-for-5 and scored one run. Gabriel Miranda batted 1-for-5. Delamielleure had one RBI. Duer scored one run and had three walks. Waller Jackson had a walk.

Rylen Bayne pitched five innings, allowing three hits, one run, walked four and struck out five batters. Tyler Vargas pitched two and one-third innings, allowed one hit and struck out two batters. Grant Garza pitched one and two-third innings and struck out three batters.

Minot playedMankato again on Friday, June 28, in the second game of the series and will face the Badlands Big Sticks on Saturday and Sunday for a two game series.