AMES - Road splits on the CIML Iowa Conference baseball circuit are typically palatable.

Champions tend to be exceptions to that rule, which is why eighth-ranked (Class 4A) Fort Dodge left Ames with a bitter taste in its mouth here Monday.

The Dodgers (19-10 overall, 11-3 in the league) were six outs away from a season sweep of the Little Cyclones (9-11), but instead had to settle for a break-even bottom line at Ray Smalling Field inside Brookside Park.

Head coach Matt Elsbecker's squad rallied for a 5-4 victory in the opener, but had the tables turned in an 8-4 nightcap setback.

The latter loss dropped Fort Dodge - which is trying to capture its first CIML baseball championship ever - into a tie with No. 10 Mason City (20-7, 11-3) atop the Iowa division standings.

The Mohawks won twice at Waukee last night, 23-17 and 6-1.

''It's almost July, and for as concerned as we are about winning the conference title, we also need to be playing at a postseason level. I don't think we did that (yesterday),'' Elsbecker said. ''We showed a lot of grit and determination in pulling off the first win, then took the momentum and tossed it in the second game.

''Give credit to (Ames senior left-hander) Andy Weiss. He closed the door on us at the end.''

Senior Ricky Sandquist typically sets the tone on the mound for the Dodgers, but on Monday, his bat did the talking. The University of Iowa recruit hit a go-ahead two-run home run to right field in the top of the fifth inning, capping Fort Dodge's rally from a 4-1 deficit.

Sandquist's homer - just his second of the season and third of his career - seemed to give the FDSH ace a second wind on the mound. The righty retired the final 10 Little Cyclone batters in order to preserve the one-run win and improve to a perfect 6-0 this year.

''Ricky buckled down, even without his best stuff,'' Elsbecker said. ''He had a huge hit obviously, but really we had a lot of guys step up and get the job done - especially at the bottom of the order.''

Sophomore Mark Wilson delivered an RBI-double from the No. 8 position in the lineup, as did ninth hitter Jay Johnson, a junior. Senior Tanner Beck came through with a run-scoring single to set the table for Sandquist as well.

Sandquist, who allowed an uncharacteristic three earned runs in the first inning, settled down and scattered eight total hits, striking out five and walking no one.

James Kohler, an offensive lineman who has Div. I football offers from Florida State and many other big-name schools, took the loss on the mound.

The nightcap was a rollercoaster ride. Fort Dodge led 2-0, fell behind 3-2, then went up 4-3 in the top of the fifth on a solo shot from senior Eddy Diosdado - his 12th of the season and the 41st of his four-year career.

Ames got the last laugh, though, breaking through with five runs in the sixth to prevail.

The Little Cyclones took advantage of four Dodger errors, and plated five of their eight runs with two outs. Weiss recorded his final five outs via strikeout, as Fort Dodge stranded six runners on base in the final four frames.

''We had our chances,'' Elsbecker said. ''You can't have four errors, you can't strike out five times with runners on base at the end, you can't give up all of those two-out runs ... if you add everything up, it's not hard to see why we came up short.

''The kids will keep fighting, but if we want to make some noise in July, the consistency needs to come soon.''

Catcher Andy Smith went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI single, and Diosdado had two hits as well.

The Dodgers host third-ranted (3A) Boone for a single varsity affair this evening at 6 p.m.

Contact Eric Pratt at (515) 573-2141, or by e-mail at sports@messengernews.net