Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Nate Scherff of Fort Dodge slides past Cedar Falls player Ethan Hayes (16) on Saturday at Ed McNeil Field. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Blake Utley is a firm believer in the building process.

That’s why Utley was able to see past the obvious and ahead to the future after dropping a pair of games to Davenport West and Cedar Falls here Saturday in the Fort Dodge Invitational.

The Dodgers suffered an 8-0 loss to the Falcons early in the day, then saw the sixth-ranked (Class 4A) Tigers rally past them in the second contest, 6-5 in eight innings.

For Utley, the losses are just part of the growing pains a young ballclub is bound to face.

“You are going to have ups and downs,” Utley said. “We are going to need to grow up throughout the season. This weekend was a great experience for everyone. We played three very good teams that were much older than we are.

“We beat a good Clinton team (Friday night), lost to a hungry Davenport West that was a state qualifier last year and had everyone back, and lost to a preseason Top-10 Cedar Falls club that is very good.”

The Falcons received a two-hit pitching performance from Brayton Doberiner, as the senior recorded four strikeouts and walked four. Colton Jones blasted a pair of home runs, as West racked up 13 hits in all.

Rain delayed the start of the Fort Dodge-Cedar Falls game, which allowed Utley to give his players a little time away from Ed McNeil Field.

“We told them to go home for an hour,” he said. “They came back to the field hungry and with a better energy level.”

The Dodgers jumped out to a 3-0 lead, batting around in the first inning. Keaton Jones and Lucas Williamson each delivered RBI singles, while Drew Callon drove plated another run on a sacrifice fly.

After Cedar Falls scored two in the third, Fort Dodge answered with a run in the fifth. But the Tigers plated three in the sixth to gain their first advantage of the day thanks to three Dodger walks.

“We had some opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of and some blunders that cost us,” Utley said. “That’s the difference at this level; who can make the plays in big situations and Cedar Falls did.”

Tyrnan Lara pitched five innings of two-hit ball, striking out four and walking four. Nate Scherff came on in relief for two innings, recording a pair of strikeouts and no earned runs.

“That’s where the new pitch-count rule comes in,” Utley said. “We could have had Tyrnan go back out there, but if he threw three more pitches, we wouldn’t be able to use him next week.

“Same for Nate. We need those guys and had to set them up.”

Scherff was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, Anthony Wagner was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Lara also had two hits. Fort Dodge stole four bases in the game and out-hit Cedar Falls, 12-5.

The Dodgers return to action on Tuesday when they host Marshalltown at 5 p.m. for a doubleheader.

DAVENPORT WEST 8, FORT DODGE 0

Davenport West 201 041 — 8 13 0

Fort Dodge 000 000 — 0 2 3

Brayton Doberiner (W, 1-0, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 K, 4 BB) and Connor Saul; Drake Miller (L, 0-1, 5 IP, 11 H, 7 ER, 3 K, 3 BB), Anthony Wagner (1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 2 BB) and Tyrnan Lara.

HR–DW: Colton Jones (2). 2B–DW: Conner Saul, Tucker Burkhart. RBI–DW: Noah McCreary, Colton Jones (2), Conner Saul (2), Calie Warren. SB–DW: Clayton Nelleton; FD: Anthony Wagner.

CEDAR FALLS 6, FORT DODGE 5 (8 inn.)

Cedar Falls 002 003 01 — 6 5 1

Fort Dodge 300 011 00 — 5 12 2

Elijah Townsend (3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 K, 2 BB), Avery Bauer (2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 2 BB), Luke Loecher (2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 K, 1 BB), Tate Johnson (W, 1-0, 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB) and Casey Sole; Tyrnan Lara (5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 K, 4 BB), Nate Scherff (2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 K, 3 BB), Mason Bodholdt (L, 0-1, 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 K, 2 BB), Grant Barber (2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB) and Shane Halligan.

HR–CF: Casey Sole. 2B–CF: Andrew Sandvold. RBI–CF: Kane Fairman, Casey Sole (2), Connor Gerdes; FD: Keaton Jones, Lucas Williamson, Drew Callon. SB–FD: Shane Halligan, Lucas Williamson, Keaton Jones, Nate Scherff.