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HIT BRIGADE

Dodgers plate 22 runs in doubleheader sweep of Roosevelt

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Maggie Harvey of Fort Dodge connects for an RBI double against Des Moines Roosevelt on Friday

Confidence spread through the Fort Dodge softball team’s lineup like wildfire in their home debut on Friday, as the seventh-ranked (Class 5A) Dodgers plated 22 runs in the final eight innings of a doubleheader sweep over Des Moines Roosevelt.

Senior Maggie Harvey had seven hits and nine RBI in the twinbill as FDSH posted 7-1 and 15-1 victories against the Roughriders on a picture-perfect evening at Rogers Park.

Andi Adams didn’t read too much into her squad’s season-opening loss at Des Moines East on Monday, but the veteran head coach also wanted to see her offense flex its muscle and give the home crowd a positive glimpse of what could be ahead for the Dodgers (2-1 overall) in 2017.

”Once we got rolling, we showed just how much potential and versatility we could have offensively,” Adams said. ”I really believe in this lineup and what it can accomplish. There were some first home-game jitters early on, which can be expected, and we’re still settling into roles and spots (on the field and at the plate). But the kids were focused and ready, and we hit the ball hard.”

Harvey, a returning first team all-state catcher, was the catalyst from the leadoff spot in the order. After flying out deep to leftfield in her first at-bat, the Minnesota State University recruit wasn’t retired the rest of the night. She socked a grand slam in the nightcap, while adding two doubles and four singles for good measure against Roosevelt (1-5).

Freshman third baseman Loghen Schnetzer hit two opposite-field home runs in the opener, while senior Meagan Hartman went 2-for-3 with a run-scoring double. Junior Kaden Pederson scored twice from the No. 9 spot in the lineup.

Junior pitcher Bre Tjebben did the rest. The right-hander surrendered only two harmless singles and one unearned run in an efficient outing.

After being retired in order through the first two frames, the Dodgers plated two runs in the third inning, two in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth.

The nightcap was more of the same. Fort Dodge roped four consecutive singles in the bottom of the first and never looked back, with Harvey’s two-run double in the second and slam in the third serving as the main highlights. Sophomore Daphne Alstott contributed three hits, and Hartman reached base in all three plate appearances. Tjebben went deep.

A seven-run fourth ended the contest early via the mercy rule. The Dodgers had accumulated 15 hits to back Hartman, who gave up just three from the pitcher’s circle.

”We wanted to keep putting the pressure on their defense and force them to make plays on us,” Adams said. ”That’s Dodger softball. We’re going to be aggressive and hustle in the field and on the basepaths.

”Our goal is to make (the opposition) get confused and lose both their concentration and ability to communicate with each other at important moments in the game.”

Fort Dodge was without Hailey Anderson, a junior outfielder who is nursing a leg injury. Adams hopes to have Anderson back soon.

The program honored long-time softball fan and Fort Dodge paragon Dan Payne before Friday’s doubleheader for his decades of community service and stewardship. Payne, a loyal enthusiast of Rogers Sports Complex and its 48-year relationship with the state tournament, died last February.

FDSH also recognized Dick Hilken, another avid Dodger softball supporter, who passed away last fall.

Fort Dodge faces 14th-ranked (Class 3A) Spirit Lake at noon and No. 15 (4A) Council Bluffs Lewis Central at 2 p.m. in the Sioux City Heelan Invitational on Saturday.

FORT DODGE 7, DM ROOSEVELT 1

DM Roosevelt 000 100 0 — 1 2 3

Fort Dodge 002 221 x — 7 10 2

Hannah Biegger (L; 6 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) and Summer Williams; Bre Tjebben (W, 1-0; 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) and Maggie Harvey. 2B–FD: Maggie Harvey, Meagan Hartman, Tehya Miller. HR–FD: Loghen Schnetzer 2. SB–FD: Maggie Harvey, Kaden Pederson.

FORT DODGE 15, DM ROOSEVELT 1

DM Roosevelt 001 0 — 1 3 1

Fort Dodge 134 7 — 15 15 1

Nani Hill (L; 3.2 IP, 15 H, 15 R, 14 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) and Summer Williams; Meagan Hartman (W, 1-1; 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) and Maggie Harvey. 2B–FD: Maggie Harvey, Mack Provin; DMR: Nani Hill. HR–FD: Maggie Harvey, Bre Tjebben. SB–FD: Makayla Johnson.

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