Nathan Beitler/MDN Hot Tots pitcher Braden Booth fires one over the plate during Friday night’s game against the Bismarck Larks. This is the first time this season that the two teams have played at Corbett Field.

The Minot Hot Tots took on their rivals Bismarck Larks for the Dakota Dust-Up Rivalry at home on Friday night.

Friday marked the first home game against the Larks for the Hot Tots. Minot entered the game with a season record of 3-0 against the Larks.

The first inning was three up and three down for the Hot Tots as the first three batters were called out, the last two being strike outs. The Larks were also unable to score in the first inning as well.

The Larks first put on the pressure during the second inning, scoring four runs before the Hot Tots could get their third out. The second inning ended early for Minot on a caught foul ball hit by Robbie Demetree. The inning ended with a score of 4-0 for the Larks.

The Hot Tots were able to keep the Larks at bay through the third inning, but they themselves were kept from scoring. They went three up and three down again to end the inning without a score change.

The first two runs for the Hot Tots came in the fourth inning. Hot Tots’ Max Ortega hammered a double into center field bringing Matt Toomey home from first base.

Ortega was then able to advance to third base off of a caught pop fly into right field by Christian Stratis. Tate Volger was then thrown out at first during the next at bat, but not before Ortega could run home, giving the Hot Tots their second run of the game. The inning ended after TJ Stottlemyre was thrown out at second on a hit by Demetree.

The Hot Tots were not able to score again until the eighth inning. At the bottom of the eighth, the score was 8-2 for the Larks.

The bases became loaded after Tate Vogler was walked. Stottlemyre hit an RBI to bring home Ortega, but was thrown out at first himself. That was the last run for the Hot Tots on Friday night. The Larks didn’t earn any more runs in the ninth and the final score ended at 8-3 for the Larks.

Friday night’s game was the Larks’ first win this season against the Hot Tots. The Hot Tots are scheduled to play the St. Cloud Rox on Saturday in Minnesota.