Minot Vistas’ Landyn McGhee prepares to slide into home behind Williston catcher Collin McCuistion during a doubleheader on Tuesday, June 16, at Corbett Field. Mike Kraft/MDN

When the Minot Vistas brought up Carter Bush at the beginning of the week, the original plan was to have him serve as the backup catcher.

Sometimes plans change.

Four innings into his Vistas debut, the full-time member of the Minot Metros found himself on the mound in a game in which Minot was in the midst of throwing a no-hitter. Bush pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Peyton House to preserve the no-hitter, as the Vistas defeated Williston, 5-0, in a weather-shortened five innings on Tuesday, June 16, at Corbett Field.

“That was huge,” Minot Vistas coach Pat Arnston said. “He was with us today as a backup catcher with Oliver being out for the week, but then we were talking before the game and we knew he pitched a bunch in high school and checking in when he threw last and when his next games would be with the Metros. We did not anticipate Peyton going that short, so we looked around and asked Carter if he wanted the ball and he said he did. He jumped in and threw a ton of strikes, which was very helpful.”

The second game of the doubleheader ended after deadline.

With starting catcher Oliver Deschamp out of the lineup, Bush was brought in as an emergency backup behind Brock Thompson if needed. He turned out to be the emergency pitcher instead.

House left the game at the end of the third inning with arm discomfort after 35 pitches. House allowed just one baserunner, issuing a walk to Justin Irgens to begin the second inning. The Vistas immediately turned a double play, as House got Williston’s Collin McCuistion to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. House struck out a pair of batters before exiting.

Bush came in to start the fourth and got three consecutive ground outs to head into what would end up being the fifth and final inning. Three outs from a no-hitter, Bush struck out both Irgens and McCrae Heller and got McCuistion to ground out to short. Bush threw 20 pitches in two innings – 14 for strikes.

“That was big,” Vistas infielder Kayden Danielson said. “First outing for the Vistas. That was a big spot he was put into and he just went out there and did his job.”

It was Bush’s second appearance on the mound this season between the Metros and Vistas. His only other appearance came with the Metros on June 3 against Beulah. He tossed two innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits and striking out two. With the Magicians during the high school season, Bush appeared in eight games on the mound, tossing 12 2/3 innings and striking out 12.

The Vistas’ defense played solid behind their pitching staff, making all seven plays on the ground and three in the air for an errorless scoresheet.

“We made the easy plays and made the hard plays,” Vistas infielder Gavin King said. “It was all-around good defense. There definitely is more pressure, but you have to keep it simple and make the plays you have to make.”

Everyone in the lineup contributed to the offensive production. All nine batters recorded a hit and King finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a double. The Vistas finished with 10 hits, half of which went for extra bases.

“I was just trying to keep it simple,” King said. “The pitcher was mixing well, but as soon as I got my pitch, I hit it hard.”

The Vistas (8-4) took the lead with a run in the second inning. Thompson led off the inning with a double to left field and King followed with a double of his own to bring in the first run of the game.

The bottom of the lineup provided a spark in the fourth. Danielson delivered an RBI triple to right, scoring Landyn McGhee. Danielson came around to score as a result of Remington Anderson’s RBI single to right to give the Vistas a 3-0 lead through four innings.

“They were throwing more fastballs,” Danielson said. “I think the pitcher started losing his feel and we punished the fastball and hunted that.”

The Vistas tacked on two more in the fifth before the skies opened and a lengthy delay resulted in the rest of the game being called. Tegan Schindler smacked a one-out triple to center and scored on an RBI single from King. McGhee recorded the Vistas’ final extra-base hit of the contest with a double to bring home King.

“We had a good two last offensive innings,” Arntson said. “We were a little sloppy to start with our bats with guys chasing soft stuff down in the zone, but our pitchers did a good job of throwing a bunch of strikes and playing good defense behind.”

The bottom three in the batting lineup – King, McGhee and Danielson – combined for four hits, with three resulting in extra bases, four RBIs and three runs scored.

“They really kind of carried us,” Arnston said. “We tried to put some guys in motion and some guys handled the bat really well, especially when you’re getting extra-base hits from the bottom of the order, it changes the score pretty quick.”

The Vistas begin the first of four consecutive road doubleheaders on Wednesday, June 17, when they travel to take on the Mandan Chiefs beginning at 5 p.m.