Nathan Beitler/MDN Minot Hot Tots’ Charlie Kalbrener (middle) celebrates his three run home run with teammates Henry Allen (left) and Matt Toomey (right) in the third inning of Tuesday night’s game. This was Kalbrener’s second home run of the night, with the first being a two run home run in the bottom of the second

The Minot Hot Tots faced off against the Duluth Huskies in a double header on Tuesday.

The Huskies took an early lead in the first inning of the first game with a home run hit over the right field fence at their first at bat.

Minot was then able to lock down their defense through the next few innings. The Huskies were three up and three down from the second inning through the fifth, including five strikeouts, but the Hot Tots could not hold out forever.

The Huskies widened the gap in the top of the sixth with a triple into center field to bring two runs home and a sac fly to bring in a third. The Hot Tots tried to even the score, but only managed to score one run in the bottom of the sixth.

Minot was able to hold the Huskies off for another two innings, but couldn’t capitalize on their previous momentum, scoring only one more run before the end of the game on a double from Henry Allen in the seventh inning.

The Huskies scored again in the top of the ninth to bring the score to 2-5 for the Huskies at the end of the game.

The second game of the day started slow for the Hot Tots. They were unable to score in the first inning, while the Huskies took their first run of the game.

The Huskies ran up the score again in the second inning with two more runs. The Hot Tots took their first runs of the game in the bottom of the second.

Charlie Kalbrener rocketed a two run home run over the right field fence to bring himself and Max Ortega home.

The inning ended with a double play at second and first before the Hot Tots could tie the game.

Minot held the line through the top of the third, not letting the Huskies take a single run. Kalbrener kept up the pressure in the third inning with another home run, this time bringing himself, Matt Toomey and Henry Allen to bring the Hot Tots ahead with a score of 5-3.

The fourth inning saw the score unchanged, but the Huskies quickly took the lead again in the top of the ninth, scoring three runs to make the score 5-6 for the Huskies.

The game was a defensive stalemate through the sixth and seventh with no runs scored. It looked like the Hot Tots might end the night with their second loss of the day.

That was until Christian Stratis stepped into the batter’s box.

With bases loaded and two outs on the board, this might have been the Hot Tots’ last chance to put themselves over the top, and Stratis delivered.

He drove the ball into the corner of left field on his very first pitch of the at bat. The distance and position of the ball allowed plenty of time for Jacob Pearl to run in from third, Ryan Castro from second and TJ Stottlemyre from first. In one pitch the Hot Tots went from fighting an uphill battle to a two-run lead.

In the top of the ninth, the Huskies found themselves in an almost identical situation.

Nolan Girard came to close the game at the start of the inning, and a pitch clock violation loaded the bases with just one out on the board. The Huskies were just one or two hits away from taking their win back, but those hits never came.

A close double play at second and first shut down the Huskies before they had a chance to come back. The Hot Tots were able to secure their second win at home and fifth win overall this season on Tuesday night.

Tuesday night marked the Hot Tots’ first victory over the Huskies this season. Minot is looking to tie their second series against the Duluth Huskies this season at Corbett Field on Wednesday.