Dodgers can’t stop Ankeny on senior night | News, Sports, Jobs

Britt Kudla’s Messenger Photo: Fort Dodge’s Rylan Kingrey makes a catch Monday against Ankeny at McNeil Field. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

The Fort Dodge baseball team was unable to overcome two big innings from Ankeny as it lost its final regular-season game at Ed McNeil Field on Monday.

The Dodgers (19-21 overall) gave up six runs in the second and seven more in the fifth, falling 15-5 to the Hawks (18-22).

“When you walk a batter and you hit a batter and you can’t stop him, it’s hard to come back from that.” said FDSH head coach Blake Utley. “We’re going to run some players, of course, but we have to be able to leave it at that.”

“We finished on a positive note and were able to string together some runs (in the bottom of the fifth). I think we started to be a little more aggressive at the plate and got some grit back.”

With the playoffs set to begin Friday night, the Dodgers managed to string together a five-run comeback in the fifth inning.

Fort Dodge senior Karch Smith scored Fort Dodge’s first run of the night with an RBI single that allowed runner Caiden Fraher to score. Runner Davis Underberg later scored.

“Karch is an exceptional young man” Utley said: “He’s one of the most positive guys I’ve ever coached. One of his teammates can make a bad play, but he’s always there to help them out in the end.”

“He has a great presence on the bench and on the field.”

Junior Royce Pederson hit a two-run hit over left field to bring in Smith and continue the game in the fifth inning. Jaxson Dencklau then scored on an error.

The Dodgers had five hits. Freshman Bo Marsh had a hit in the fifth inning after Dalton Eckley walked.

Marsh had two hits and Dencklau had the Dodgers’ other hit.

“I like the way we fought in the fifth round,” Utley said: “Bo led off with a hit, then Karch had a big hit in his last at-bat at home. Royce had a hit.

“Did we play well enough to win? No. But we didn’t give up.”

Ankeny had 12 hits against two Dodgers pitchers. Henry He went 3-for-3 with an RBI.

Blake Morgan and Carson Riggs each added two hits. Morgan drove in three runs.

Ankeny senior Jack Clevidence hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and drove in three runs. Kinnick Vos and Will Davies each contributed two RBIs. Samuel Sandvig also drove in a run.

Clevidence earned the win, pitching two innings, allowing one hit and striking out five.

Fort Dodge honored seniors Jace Johnson and Smith, who played their final games at McNeil Field.

“Jace is a hard worker and he loves baseball.” Utley said: “He is passionate about the sport and works to improve every day.

“His best days are ahead of him. He’s going to be a great player when he goes to Coe. Karch and Jace mean a lot to me and this program.”

The Dodgers open the playoffs Friday at Des Moines Roosevelt in a Class 4A Substate 4 first-round game.

ANKENY 15, FORT DODGE 5

Ankeny 060 27 — 15 12 2

Fort Dodge 000 05 — 5 5 2

WP–Jack Clevidence (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO); LP–Tru McBride (2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO); HR–A: Clevidence; FD: Royce Pederson; MH–A: Ha (3), Morgan (2), Riggs (2); FD: Bo Marsh (2); RBI–A: Clevidence (3), Morgan (3), Vos (2), Davies (2), Sandvig, Ha; FD: Pederson (2), Smith; LOB–A: 5, FD 5.

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