The Minot Hot Tots dropped three of four in their home series with the St. Cloud Rox, including 13-1 and 13-5 decisions over the weekend at Corbett Field. Nathan Beitler/MDN

The Minot Hot Tots are off to their best start in program history, currently sitting in second place in the Great Plains West at .500, but are looking up at the St. Cloud along with the rest of the division, and the Rox showcased why over the weekend.

The Rox took three of four from the Hot Tots and own a four-game lead on the rest of the division while also sporting the best record in the Northwoods League roughly two weeks into the season. In their final game before heading off on a weeklong road trip, the Hot Tots suffered a 13-1 defeat in the series finale on Sunday, June 7, at Corbett Field.

The Rox (11-3) scored runs in five of the first six innings, including five over the first two frames and six in the fifth. St. Cloud recorded 13 hits. Tanner Recchio and Nolan Geislinger both homered for the Rox, who outscored the Hot Tots 44-11 in the four-game series. Geislinger finished 2-for-2 with five RBIs and two runs scored.

Geislinger’s home run came in the opening inning, while Recchio delivered his in the fourth.

Minot’s lone run came in the sixth when Micah McCoy doubled to center, allowing Kole Dudding to score from second.

The Hot Tots (7-7) finished with six hits. Caleb Gipson went 2-for-4.

Hunter Poe went eight innings for St. Cloud. He allowed a run on five hits, striking out five and walking two.

St. Cloud opened the weekend with a 13-5 victory over the Hot Tots on Saturday, June 6. The Rox led from the jump, plating five runs in the opening inning. Minot countered with four in the second to pull with 5-4, but the Rox scored a pair of runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead to 11-4.

Jackson Legg had a game-high four hits and drove in two while scoring twice. Tyler Holland went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Carter Jorissen drove in four runs on two hits.

Tyler Arnold had two of Minot’s five hits. Alexander Sifford doubled and drove in two runs for the Hot Tots.

The two teams head to St. Cloud for a two-game series beginning on Monday, June 8, at 6:35 p.m.