At its core, the game of baseball is often defined by two-out hitting.

Marshalltown proved that time and time again here on Tuesday.

The Bobcats plated all but two of their runs in two-out situations during a doubleheader sweep of Fort Dodge, leaving town with wins of 5-0 and 4-3 thanks in large part to timely hitting at pivotal moments.

A three-run rally in the top of the sixth of the nightcap turned a 2-1 deficit around and allowed visiting Marshalltown (5-1 overall, 2-0 in the CIML Iowa Division) to leave town with a pair of victories in this matchup of long-standing rivals for the first time since 2004. The Dodgers (3-4, 0-2) let a few too many opportunities pass them by, while the Bobcats capitalized on the extra chances given to them at McNeil Field.

”Timely hitting, free passes and fielding mistakes — that’s basically what it came down to,” FDSH head coach Blake Utley said. ”A coach once told me that high school baseball games are usually lost more than they’re won. We were on the wrong side of the coin (yesterday), but that’s all part of the learning experience.

”Give Marshalltown credit for executing when they had to and not beating themselves. They’re always a well-coached, fundamentally-sound ballclub, and they did what it took to come out on top in both games.”

Dodger sophomore left-hander Drew Callon was in cruise control with a 2-1 lead and four outs away from prevailing in the second contest. Callon uncharacteristically walked three consecutive batters with two outs and no one on, though, and Kody Ricken roped a bases-clearing double to bring home all three runners after Callon departed.

That Bobcat comeback was the culmination of a recurring theme in the twinbill. A walk and two doubles with two outs in the fourth inning of the opener allowed Marshalltown to snap a scoreless tie, and it would add two more insurance runs with two outs in the fifth and again in the seventh.

Fort Dodge had five more hits than the Bobcats in the nightcap, but came up a single run short.

Starters Nate Scherff and Callon both pitched effectively, but the Dodgers managed only three extra-base hits on the evening offensively and committed six errors behind them. Ricken, the catcher and No. 3 hitter, drove in five runs total for Marshalltown.

Sophomore Anthony Wagner had four hits for FDSH in game two, while Keaton Jones and Scherff added three hits each.

”We’re going to continue to get better,” Utley said. ”Of course, nights like these are frustrating. The kids aren’t happy about how they played. In baseball, though, you get right back at it the next day. That can be a blessing or a curse, but I like the attitude of our guys. With time and experience, we’ll get there.”

Fort Dodge takes on Des Moines North at McNeil Field on Wednesday, beginning at 3:30 p.m.

MARSHALLTOWN 5, FORT DODGE 0

Marshalltown 000 220 1 — 5 7 1

Fort Dodge 000 000 0 — 0 5 2

Nate Vance (W; 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K) and Kody Ricken; Nate Scherff (L; 7 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) and Tyrnan Lara. 2B–M: Dru Dobbins, Kody Ricken, Miguel Torrez; FD: Drew Callon.

MARSHALLTOWN 4, FORT DODGE 3

Marshalltown 001 003 0 — 4 5 1

Fort Dodge 001 100 1 — 3 11 4

Wade Canaday (W; 7 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) and Kody Ricken; Drew Callon (L; 5ª IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 7 K), Kade Solverson (1• IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) and Tyrnan Lara. 2B–M: Dru Dobbins, Kody Ricken; FD: Anthony Wagner, Nate Scherff.