-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Shane Halligan of Fort Dodge connects for a 2 run homer against Sioux City North on Friday

Blake Utley saw something in his Fort Dodge baseball team hours before their Friday night contest with Sioux City North even began.

The Dodgers arrived early to Ed McNeil Field for batting practice, with that performance carrying right on over to a 12-2 win in five innings over the Stars.

Shane Halligan hit a three-run inside-the-park homer in the first inning and Drake Miller drove in three more for Fort Dodge (7-6 overall), which has now won three in a row.

“It started at 2:30 p.m. with taking BP on the field for the first time this year since school was out,” Utley said. “The guys came with a purpose. They were leaving the yard, hitting gap-to-gap and I just had a good feeling.

“One guy who really stood out was Mason Bodholdt. Before (batting practice), I didn’t know if he was going to hit in the lineup. He did, hitting sixth and having a great game.”

Bodholdt, a junior, was 2-for-2 with three RBI. Nate Scherff added two hits and Kade Solverson drew a walk in the fifth with the bases loaded to end the contest early.

Bryer Nelson went all five innings, striking out three with two walks. Nelson, also an 11th-grader, worked out of a bases loaded situation in the first with a strikeout and two more outs, finishing the game with 59 strikes on 94 pitches.

“Bryer competed for us,” Utley said. “He worked with the zone and did a good job.”

Halligan’s homer came on a ball hit into the ivy in left, as the Sioux City North (6-4) outfielder attempted to retrieve it. After discussing the call, the sophomore was awarded his first home run of the season.

The Dodgers batted around twice and got at least one runner into scoring position in all five innings.

“We were patient at the plate and when (North) got behind in the count, we hit the ball hard,” Utley said. “This is a good group that has played a lot of baseball. Early in the season, we were just behind on hitting.

“But we’ve spent time on hitting and they are confident now. It feels like they are starting to realize they can do this. In high school baseball, you don’t have to be perfect to win, you just have to have more energy and continue to fight.”

Fort Dodge turned a double play in the second, as Nelson caught a liner and got the Star runner at first before he could tag. Of the 25 batters he faced, Nelson threw a first-pitch strike to 14 of them.

Lucas Williamson scored two runs and also had two steals, with Brycen Bell recording a pair of steals and scoring a run.

The Dodgers return to action on Monday, hosting third-ranked (Class 4A) Urbandale (10-3-1, 1-3-1) at 5 p.m.

FORT DODGE 12, SIOUX CITY NORTH 2 (5 inn.)

SC North 002 00 — 2 7 2

Fort Dodge 343 02 — 12 10 2

Peyton Popken (L, 2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 K, 2 BB), Hudson Krommenhoek (2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 K, 4 BB) and Hunter Krommenhoek; Bryer Nelson (W, 1-0, 5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 K, 2 BB) and Shane Halligan.

HR–FD: Shane Halligan. 2B–FD: Drew Callon, Brycen Bell, Mason Bodholdt. SB–FD: Lucas Williamson (2), Drake Miller, Nathan Blocker, Brycen Bell (2), Nate Scherff. RBI–SCN: Tyler Kjose, Nick Opsahl; FD: Drake Miller (3), Shane Halligan (4), Mason Bodholdt (3), Kade Solverson. LOB–SCN: 8; FD: 10. DP–FD: 1.