Tommy Halligan delivered a five-hit day, and Luke Vandermaten and JC Hatcher combined on a one-hitter, as the Fort Dodge baseball team swept Des Moines Lincoln Friday evening at Ed McNeil Field.
Halligan, a junior, was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in a 5-1 win in the opener, while going 3-for-3 in the second with another double and RBI as the Dodgers picked up a 5-0 victory.
Fort Dodge (2-1 overall) struck first in both games, working the bases and taking advantage of five errors by the Railsplitters.
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"We found a way to make get on base and move the runners along," FDSH head coach Matt Elsbecker said. "For Tommy, going 5-for-6 isn't too bad of a day. He really swung the bat well."
Vandermaten (1-0) went four innings in the second game, allowing just one hit and striking out five. The senior was relieved by Hatcher, a sophomore, who tossed three innings of shutout baseball, striking out five, as well.
"Logan, JC, Tyler (Vaughn) and Cole (Jarrard), those four did a fine job pitching for us," Elsbecker said. "They threw strikes and our defense backed them up when they needed to."
Fact Box
FORT DODGE 5, DES MOINES LINCOLN 1
Lincoln 000 010 0 - 1 10 1
Fort Dodge 102 110 x - 5 9 2
Taylor Hutchens (4 IP, 7 hits, 3 Ks), Alex Gillespie (5), Michael Downing (6) and Mike Ryner; Tyler Vaughn (W, 1-0, 4 IP, 5 hits, 5 Ks, 1 BB), Cole Jarrard (3 IP, 5 hits, 3 Ks, 1 BB) and Devon Harms. 2B - FD: Will Gormally, Tommy Halligan. RBI - FD: Gormally, Isaac Lehman, T. Halligan (2), Vaughn. SB - DML: Garett Damon, Ryner; FD: Jarrard, Devraj Thakor, Austin Halligan.
FORT DODGE 5, DES MOINES LINCOLN 0
Lincoln 000 000 0 - 0 1 4
Fort Dodge 020 012 x - 5 7 0
Damon (L, 3 2/3 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 4 BB), Chris O'Toole (4), Devin Wicks (6) and Ryner; Luke Vandermaten (W, 1-0, 4 IP, 1 hit, 5 Ks, 1 BB), JC Hatcher (3 IP, 0 hits, 5 Ks, 1 BB) and Harms. 2B - FD: Gormally, Vandermaten, T. Halligan. RBI - FD: Vandermaten, T. Halligan, Harms. SB - FD: Vandermaten.
Vaughn (1-0) also tossed four innings in the opener, striking out five and allowing five hits. Jarrard pitched the final three, striking out three.
Will Gormally, hitting in the leadoff spot, collected two doubles in the twinbill, driving in a run. Sam Edwards and Vandermaten also had two hits.
The Dodgers return to action on Tuesday at Indianola.
Contact Dana Becker at (515) 573-2141, or by email at sports@messengernews.net