DICKINSON – The Minot Hot Tots finished game one of their two games against the Badlands Big Sticks with a 10-7 win. The Hot Tots will have the late start due to the Mountain Time Zone and then return to Minot to host the Mankato MoonDogs for the last two games of the regular season.

The Hot Tots led 9-5 after eight innings of play. The Big Sticks would add two more runs at the bottom of the eighth inning to narrow the Minot lead 9-7 going into the ninth inning of play.

With two out, Sam Holthaus singled on a 3-2 pitch to center field. Jaeden Jordahl doubled to left to move Holthaus to third base. Jaden Alberson singled to score Holthaus for the 10-7 win.

Minot was 16-for-42 at the plate with two team errors in the game. Xavier Esquer was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and scored three runs – two of his hits were home runs. Blake Penso and Alberson were each 3-for-5 batting with Alberson adding three RBIs in the effort. Holthaus and Jordahl each added two hits and an RBI each. Adrian Dominguez was 2-for-5 at the plate while Peyton Becker and Anthony Potestio each added a hit in the game.

Quinn Hocom pitched four innings and allowed one run, unearned, on one hit. He walked six batters and struck out three. Griffin Webb pitched three and one-third innings and allowed six runs- four earned- on five hits and one home run. Eli Niemiec pitched two and two-third innings and allowed one run on one hit with no batters walked and tallied five strikeouts in relief.

Badlands was 6-for-34 batting with one error as a team. Gabe D’Arcy had half the hits for the Big Sticks. He was 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI and scored two runs in the effort. Kaden Carpenter had one hit, but it was a home run and added three RBIs.

Jake Fuller pitched five and one-third innings and allowed five runs on seven hits- two home runs- walked two batters and recorded five strikeouts. Tate Williams pitched one inning and allowed four runs- two earned- on four hits. Sean Farney pitched two and two-third innings and allowed one run on five hits, no walked batters and five strikeouts in relief.