Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Mason Bockoven of Fort Dodge makes a play at McNeil Field.

The Fort Dodge baseball team methodically manufactured a 16-4 victory over Algona here on Saturday, winning via the mercy rule in five innings despite having just a single extra-base hit.

The Dodgers (2-2 overall) used aggressive baserunning and bunting tactics to defeat the Bulldogs (1-4) on a steamy evening at McNeil Field. Head coach Blake Utley’s squad also coaxed eight walks and four hit by pitches from the AHS pitching staff.

Fort Dodge plated its first five runs without a single hit out of the infield.

”That’s when Dodger baseball is at its best: when we’re executing the bunt game, running the bases well and showing patience at the plate,” Utley said. ”That leads to bigger and better things later in the innings, when you have a defense back on its heels.

”It was good to see us compete from start to finish, especially (less than 24 hours after playing a pair of games in Waterloo). It was a long night (Friday), but we showed the energy (against the Bulldogs) that we’ve come to expect from our guys.

”We want to be the thermostat and set the temperature.”

Junior Drew Callon and senior Nate Scherff — the top two hitters in the order — went a combined 6-for-6 at the plate with seven runs scored and four RBI for FDSH. The Dodgers broke the affair open with a 10-run second inning, highlighted by a two-run triple from Callon.

The other 10 Fort Dodge hits were singles; two came on bunts, and two were of the infield variety.

Callon and Scherff reached base all four times they batted in the shortened contest. Sophomore Shane Halligan was on three times with a pair of singles and a walk.

Sophomore Mason Bockoven and junior Bryer Nelson also reached in three different plate appearances, and junior Drake Miller ripped a two-run single. Nelson stole a pair of bases.

Senior left-hander Kade Solverson worked three innings and earned the victory despite giving up a two-run home run to Bulldog junior Carson Devine in the second. Solverson then put the next two batters on base while clinging to a 3-2 lead, but worked his way out of the jam.

”That was big for us and Kade’s confidence,” Utley said. ”He fought his way through it. That’s what good teams have to do — get back into the dugout without letting the inning get out of hand, and then respond (offensively). We did that (in the second).”

Trevor Bormann and Nick Goche both doubled for Algona. Devine had two hits.

Fort Dodge returns to action on Tuesday at Marshalltown.

FORT DODGE 16, ALGONA 4

Algona 020 20 — 4 5 2

Fort Dodge 3(10)1 2x — 16 11 0

Hunter Thompson (L; 1 IP, 5 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 4 BB, 0 K), Bryce Witham (1• IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 0 K), Cole Lewis (1ª IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) and Nick Goche. Cade Solverson (W; 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K), Drew Zimmermann (2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) and Shane Halligan. 2B–A: Trevor Bormann, Nick Goche. 3B–FD: Drew Callon. HR–A: Carson Devine.