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Hanging tough

“Merch” might be a silly, made up word, but it definitely has meaning for the Fort Dodge softball team.

Used as a rally cry all year, the Dodgers “merched” to a season-defining win here Wednesday. They knocked off No. 2 (Class 5A) Waukee, 1-0, in the second game of a twinbill at Rogers Park.

Waukee, which was ranked No. 1 last week, held on to take the opener 2-1.

“I couldn’t be prouder of them,” said FDSH head coach Andi Adams. “When you do what you’re supposed to do, this is what happens. ‘Merch’ is a word we use to help us stay calm. It’s our rally cry.

“The thing with youth and hunger, is they have no fear. We had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It just proves anything can happen.”

Waukee (10-4) was coming off a pair of five-inning mercy rule wins over Ankeny Centennial.

The second-game win was the first in five years for the Dodgers against Waukee. The last victory came in a regional final that put the Dodgers in the 2011 state tournament.

“It’s a huge, indescribable feeling,” said sophomore pitcher Bre Tjebben, who picked up the win in the second contest. “It just proves we can beat anyone if we play well.”

Fort Dodge (10-4) scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the second. Eighth-grader Loghen Schnetzer drew a lead-off walk and Sabrynn Ulrich came into run for her. Ulrich stole second and moved to third on a single by Madie Kutson.

Tjebben then hit a bouncer to second and Waukee’s throw home wasn’t even close to getting Ulrich.

Fort Dodge proceeded to load the bases, but couldn’t push across another run. The Dodgers ended up leaving six runners on base – all six in scoring position.

“I was disappointed that we didn’t score after loading the bases,” said Adams. “That’s something we need to work on.”

Tjebben (6-1) scattered five hits, but never gave up more than one hit in an inning. She got a double play to end the fourth inning and made a great play on a comebacker to end the fifth ininng with a runner on second.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our pitchers,” said Adams. “Bre and Meagan (Hartman) trust our defense, and our defense trusts them.”

A key play came in the first when Waukee’s Kelli Fogt was thrown out at third by Knutson trying to advance on a grounder. Hartman also made a big stop at first to end the third inning with two runners on base.

Waukee left eight on base in the loss.

Daphne Alstott, Knutson and Tjebben each had two hits in the nightcap.

Waukee plated the eventual winning run in the opener in the top of the fifth. Fogt walked and scored on a double by Morgan Nealey.

Fort Dodge had tied it at 1-all in the bottom of the fourth Schnetzer roped a two-out single just over the shortstop’s glove to score Alstott.

Waukee scored its first run in the top of the first after Fogt led off with a triple and Logan Akason singled her home.

Hartman took the loss. She allowed 11 hits, but also stranded 10 runners on base. She left two runners on in the first and fifth frames and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.

Fort Dodge never really threatened in the opener other than the fourth frame. The Dodgers had just four hits, with Alstott collecting two of them.

Waukee’s Kate Menz finished with six strikeouts in the opener.

The Dodgers return to action tonight, facing Clarke of Osceola in a single varsity game starting at 7:30. Clark is ranked fourth in Class 3A.

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