The Minot Metros opened their season on the right foot, sweeping the Garrison Titans in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, June 2. Garrett Nikitenko brought in the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning in a 4-3 victory in Game 1. The Metros completed the sweep in Game 2, topping the Titans, 8-6.

The Titans forced extra innings in the opener by plating a run in the seventh. Trailing 3-2 entering their final at-bat, the Titans loaded the bases with two outs. Liam Crawford drew a four-pitch walk, allowing Grady Crawford to score. Henry Woodbeck got himself out of trouble to send it to extras, getting Cooper Coble to line out to Grady Weppler in left field.

Weppler walked to lead off the top of the eighth and was replaced on the basepaths by courtesy runner Henrik Evanoff. Evanoff quickly got himself into scoring position by stealing second and third during Nikitenko’s at-bat. Nikitenko got enough distance on a fly ball to right to allow Evanoff to tag and score.

Garrison made the mistake of attempting to steal on Metros catcher Carter Bush in the eighth. Bush threw out both Mason Skachenko and Matt Jochim attempting to steal second base for the first two outs of the inning. With runners on first and second, Woodbeck struck out Gaige Roberts to end the game.

The Metros (2-0) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Weppler reached base safely on a dropped third strike and would later score on an error at first base for the game’s first run. Nikitenko scored on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of Ben Hedberg.

Garrison (0-2) responded with two runs of its own in the fifth. Jochim doubled home Skachenko with a shot to right field and would score the game-tying run off a single from Roberts with one out. Minot would reclaim the lead in the top half of the sixth on an RBI single from Weppler.

Woodbeck picked up the win on the mound in three innings worth of relief. He allowed one run on three hits, striking out two. Brody Johnson got the starting nod and went the first five innings , allowing two runs on eight hits, striking out seven.

The Titans compiled 11 hits. Jochim and Roberts each finished with three hits and an RBI,

The Metros held off a late rally by the Titans in Game 2 to preserve the sweep. Minot led 7-2 headed into the bottom of the fourth before the Titans scored four of the game’s final five runs. The Titans scored twice in the final frame and had the game-tying run at the plate three times with no outs. But two consecutive fly outs and a strike out ended the threat.

Minot took advantage of eight errors by Garrison over the course of the game, leading to three unanswered runs and extended innings. The Titans committed an error in the first and the second, two in the third, one in the fourth and three in the fifth.

Brady Vigested finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Ty Iverson collected two hits with an RBI and two runs scored. Nikitenko drove in a pair of runs and Evanoff tripled home a run in the fourth.

Weppler earned the win in six innings of work for the Metros. He allowed four runs on four hits, striking out nine.

Jochim went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead the Titans. Treyson Iglehart tripled, drove in a run and scored twice.

The Metros play their first home doubleheader of the season on Wednesday, June 3, beginning at 4 p.m. at Jack Hoeven Park against Beulah.