-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Bryer Nelson of Fort Dodge makes a play against Ankeny on Wednesday

Five years ago, Fort Dodge and Ankeny met in the Class 4A state baseball championship game.

Here last night they were two teams looking for some positives as the regular season heads toward the finish line.

In the end, the Hawks left Ed McNeil Field feeling a little better about themselves with a doubleheader sweep in a CIC crossover.

Scores were 9-0 and 6-3.

Fort Dodge, now 10-26, was its own worst enemy, committing a combined eight errors in the two games.

The Dodgers had as many errors (5) in the first game as hits.

“It’s never good when you have that many errors,” said Dodger coach Blake Utley. “That’s just too many.

Our goal is less than two in a both games. It’s almost like we are playing not to make a mistake. I think that has a little bit to do with our youth. At times, I think ‘here we go’ then we have mistakes like this.”

Ankeny ran its record to 16-21 with the sweep, handing the Dodgers their sixth loss in a row and their ninth loss in the last 10 outings.

“We’ve got nine days until our substate and that’s what matters when you get to the end of the season,” said Utley. “We’ll get back to work (Thursday) just like we have all year. We just need to start swinging the bats better than we have. There are just little things we need to clean up.”

Ankeny got two complete-game performances from pitchers Matt Wiedmier and Camron Rinker.

Wiedmier scattered five hits in the opener and struck out five.

The Dodgers had a runner thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the first, but they had just one runner reach third base the rest of the game. That was in the bottom of the seventh when they left the bases loaded.

Lance Williamson and Tyrnan Lara each had a double for the Dodgers.

Henri Harpenau and Rinker had two hits each for Ankeny.

In the nightcap, the Dodgers scored two in the first including a solo home run by Keaton Jones. Nate Scherff also drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk in the fourth.

Fort Dodge left six runners on base in the nightcap. The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the fourth and had another runner thrown out at the plate in the third inning.

Drake Miller went 4-for-4 in the second game for the Dodgers. Jones was 2-for-4.

Scherff took the loss for the Dodgers in the opener, working four innings. Miller took the loss in the second game. He worked into the fifth inning.

Drew Hill had three hits for Ankeny in the second game.

Fort Dodge finishes its home schedule Friday hosting Sioux City East for senior night. The twinbill starts at 5 p.m.

“Friday night will be big for us,” said Utley. “We want to finish the home season right. These last four games, I’d like to see us make plays hit to us, have our energy high and have a never-quit mentality. If we do that, good things will happen.”

The Dodgers close the regular season Monday at Ankeny Centennial.

Ankeny 9, Fort Dodge 0

Ankeny 211 014 0 – 9 10 1

Fort Dodge 000 000 0 – 0 5 5

Matt Wiedmier and Henri Harpenau. Nate Scherff, Anthony Wagner (5), Nathan Blocker (7) and Shane Halligan. WP–Scherff 2, Wagner 2. HBP–Ankeny: Wiedmier (by Wagner), Kisker (by Wagner), 2B–Ankeny: Wiedmier, Jesse Kisker, Camron Rinker; FD: Tyrnan Lara, Lance Williamson. SacF–Ankney:

Wiedmier. SB–Ankeny: Kisker; FD: Bryer Nelson, Scherff. DP–Fort Dodge. LOB–Ankeny 10, Fort Dodge 6.

Ankeny 6, Fort Dodge 3

Ankeny 102 210 0 – 6 10 1

Fort Dodge 200 100 0 – 3 10 3

Camron Rinker and Harpenau. Drake Miller, Mason Bodholdt (5), Drew Callon (7) and Halligan. WP–

Miller 4, Bodholdt. 2B–Ankeny: Drew Hill, Jayden Maifield, Harpenau. HR–FD: Keaton Jones. Sac–Ankehy: Niedmier, Kisker, Chris Spear. SB–FD: Brycen Bell 2. CS–FD: Miller. DP–Fort Dodge. LOB–Ankeny 8, Fort Dodge 7.