Nathan Beitler/MDN Oliver Brown of the Minot Hot Tots fires the ball home during the Friday, Aug., 8 home game versus the Badland Big Sticks. With the Hot Tots win, they have broken the franchise record for most wins in a season.

The Hot Tots earned their 28th win of the season at their home game on Friday, Aug. 8, breaking the franchise record for wins in a single season.

The Hot Tots’ historic win came against the Badlands Big Sticks in their second to last home game of the 2025 Northwoods League regular season. The Tots’ home bout against the Big Sticks on Saturday, Aug. 9, will mark their last game of the season and the last Battle of the Badlands rivalry game between the two teams.

The Hot Tots took an early lead in the second inning of the game off of a sacrifice double by Anthony Temesvary. Although Temesvary was put out at third, Christian Stratis was able to make his run home, bringing the score to 1-0 before the end of the inning.

The Big Sticks quickly responded in the top of the third, earning two runs of their own from an RBI double into center field by Samson Pugh. Pugh was able to bring home Ryker Schow and Bo Shinkle to make the score 1-2.

The Tots were slow to respond, tying the game in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Robbie Demetree, taking the lead back in the fifth from Rowan Felsch’s own sacrifice fly and widening the gap by one more in the sixth when Blake Cavill was hit by a pitch with loaded bases. The Big Sticks were unable to score in the same three-inning run.

The Big Sticks scored a single run in the eight with a one-run home run from Thomas Maher while the Hot Tots did not score in the same inning. The Big Sticks had the game tying runner on first and two outs on the board in the top of the ninth with Josh Livengood on the mound. The Big STicks’ Rene Galvan struck out swinging on the fifth pitch of the at bat to give Minot their 28th win of the season, breaking the franchise record.

The Hot Tots and Badlands Big Sticks will play in their final game of the season at Corbett Field the night of Saturday, Aug. 9.