They were at a premium in Game 2.

Minot’s doubleheader against Dickinson on Monday at Corbett Field couldn’t have played out more differently. The only thing they had in common was they both had the same result. Minot stockpiled 17 runs on 15 hits and took advantage of five Dickinson errors in a 17-12 victory in Game 1 before getting defensive in Game 2, shutting out the Volunteers, 4-0, behind a pitching gem from TJ Hjelmstad to earn the sweep.

“Being able to win in two different ways today was huge,” Metros coach Craig Schmich said. “We won the barn burner and we won the defensive battle and that’s all that really matters for us.”

The first game of the doubleheader read more like a football score in early October rather than a baseball score in late June. The two teams combined for 29 runs on 29 hits in what was the highest scoring output for both teams. Minot’s previous mark was 13 runs against Post 400 on June 15, while Dickinson’s previous season high was 10 runs, which they have done twice.

“When you get up to Legion baseball, it’s almost a given that you’re going to win every game that you put up 12 runs and we didn’t make it happen because we’re giving away free bases,” Dickinson coach Reese Mack said. “Every single inning except the inning we held them scoreless, we put the leadoff batter on and we have to find the importance of getting 1-2-3 right away. I hope they don’t lose another baseball game scoring 12 runs.”

Jace Price got the offensive fireworks going early, plating three runs on an inside-the-park home run deep to center field off of Dickinson starting pitcher Aiden Emard.

“I was just thinking first pitch swinging and I did that,” Price said. “I just saw Craig waving me home and that was about it. I figured I would definitely get at least a triple, but when I saw Craig waving me home I was pretty excited.”

The Metros (16-8) were only getting started, as they pushed across six more runs to build a 9-0 lead after three innings. Price added his game-high fourth RBI and Gavin King chipped in with an RBI single of his own.

Dickinson (6-8) found its offense in the latter half of the contest, scoring 12 runs between the fourth and sixth innings, bringing the Volunteers all the way back from an early deficit. Trailing 11-3 after four innings, Dickinson responded with five runs in the fifth, spearheaded by a bases-clearing double by Trey Campbell.

After the Metros came back with a run in the bottom half of the inning to take a 12-8 lead, the Volunteers tied the game in the sixth with four more runs. That lead was short-lived however, as Minot responded with five runs of their own.

“Showing them that if they clean up the errors in those first three innings and take away those first three innings to make plays they can make every day, those games can be won,” Mack said. “It’s a good learning lesson for them.”

Brady Vigestad shut the door on any attempt Dickinson had at a second comeback, tossing a scoreless seventh in relief.

The Metros got offensive production up and down the lineup, as eight starters recorded at least one hit and four contributed multiple hits. Ty Iverson and Hjelmstad each went 3-4 with 3 RBIs. Remington Anderson and Owen Sundahl recorded triples and Vigested doubled as part of a two-hit game. Nine of the batters Minot used throughout the game recorded at least one RBI and 10 came around to touch home plate.

“Our lineup from top to bottom is pretty good,” Schmich said. “There’s not one guy in the lineup where I’m scared that they’re coming up. Everybody on our team can swing it and that’s fun. Even the guys on our bench – the first game we had 17 guys show up here today and all 17 got in at some point. To be able to have that kind of depth, it’s huge, especially at our level.”

Dickinson’s hitters were just as productive throughout the lineup. Eight starters collected hits and four had at least two hits. Emerson Simminow paced the Volunteers, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and run scored. Trey Campbell and Jaxson Herbel doubled and plated two runs each.

Emard went the distance on the mound, tossing 126 pitches over six innings. Cole Deaver picked up the win in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

In Game 2, Hjelmstad didn’t need 17 runs of support from his offense to pick up the win. He only needed one, though he got a few more as insurance.

Hjelmstad went the distance, tossing a complete-game shutout, allowing six hits while striking out two and not yielding a walk. He didn’t allow a baserunner to reach third base until the seventh inning.

“TJ’s amazing,” Schmich said. “I love watching him pitch. He goes out there every single time we give him the ball and you know what you’re going to get. He’s going to be competitive in the zone, not going to strike very many guys out, but he just trusts our defense and it’s just so fun to watch him go after it.”

The Metros didn’t have another 15-hit barrage in the tank, but they still produced eight hits – all singles – and all 10 batters used reached base at least once.

Price added to his already impressive day at the plate with an RBI single to right in the bottom of the first to score Remington Anderson. Logan Dixon tacked on Minot’s second run an inning later on an RBI single to left to bring in Sundahl.

“I thought we did great,” Price said. “Everybody stepped in and did their job at the right moments.”

Minot added a run in the fourth and another in the fifth. Brock Thompson’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded plated Vigested and a two-out error allowed Minot to score its fourth run. Dickinson committed 10 errors during the doubleheader.

Hjelmstad faced little adversity while on the mound. Dickinson didn’t have more than one baserunner in an inning prior to the seventh. The Volunteers went down in order or brought just four batters to the plate in each of the first six innings. They threatened to spoil Hjelmstad’s shutout bid in the seventh, putting runners on first and second with one out. But Hjelmstad got Sam Dobitz to ground into a fielder’s choice and David Barkley flew out to center field to end the game.

“I was just hitting my spots, throwing a bunch of strikes, getting people out by throwing as many strikes as possible,” Hjelmstad said. “Whenever I face a team, I notice them swinging before and they swung at a bunch of pitches outside the zone, so I just capitalized when I had to.”

The defense behind Hjelmstad was solid, committing an error in the first but then playing clean the rest of the way.

“We played great defense today,” Schmich said. “It’s fun to watch. If you want to go win some championships and make a deep run we’re going to have to pitch it well and play some defense because that’s what the best teams do.”

The Metros hit the road to take on Valley City Post 60 in a doubleheader on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.