Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Drake Miller of Fort Dodge hits a grand slam against Urbandale on Monday at Ed McNeil Field. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

Fort Dodge head baseball coach Blake Utley doesn’t look at competing in the CIML Iowa Conference as a burden.

The league currently features four teams ranked in the Class 4A Top-10, including Monday night’s opponent, No. 3 Urbandale.

While the J-Hawks were able to post a doubleheader sweep at Ed McNeil Field, 13-9 and 7-4, Utley saw the kind of fight he wants out of his Dodgers.

“Our guys were competing and never gave up,” Utley said. “We play in a really good conference day in and day out, but if we can handle that, we are going to turn the corner this season and win these kind of games.

“When you have a good team on the ropes, you have to come out and shut them out. If we do that, we are going to be really good.”

Urbandale (12-3-1 overall, 3-3-1 in league) had three innings with at least four runs scored on the day, as the Dodgers (7-8, 2-6) were able to record two innings of four runs. That included grand slams by both Drake Miller and Shane Halligan in the opener.

Bryer Nelson also hit a homer, as did Drew Callon.

“Urbandale is known for having one of the best staffs in the state and our guys went up to the plate looking to take on the challenge,” Utley said. “We wanted that challenge and left the yard four times.

“They battled and I’ll take these kids any day and twice on Sunday. They work their tails off and just need to continue to understand the process and love the process.”

Miller finished the day with three hits and drove in six, with Halligan recording two hits and driving in four. Nate Scherff had four hits and scored three runs, and Nelson had two hits and two runs scored.

Leading 8-5 in the opener, the J-Hawks plated five runs in the top of the seventh. Fort Dodge cut into the deficit when Halligan launched his grand slam, but Kip Cullinan was able to record the final out.

In the nightcap, Urbandale again overcame an early 1-0 deficit, plating four in the third. Down 5-1, the Dodgers scored three in the fifth, but the J-Hawks answered with two insurance runs in the sixth.

“We just have to limit the big innings by the opposing team,” Utley said. “We had a few too many mistakes in this one and we didn’t make all the plays hit at us as I had hoped.”

Fort Dodge returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to No. 2 Johnston, with a second road doubleheader set for Thursday at Des Moines Roosevelt.

URBANDALE 13, FORT DODGE 9

Urbandale 001 052 5 — 13 16 1

Fort Dodge 010 040 4 — 9 8 1

Nate Scherff (L, 4ª IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 4 K, 3 BB), Drake Miller (1• IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 0 K, 2 BB), Dylan Zimmermann (1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 1 BB) and Shane Halligan; Luke Llewellyn (W, 4ª IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 8 K, 2 BB), Brady Roberts (1ª IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 K, 0 BB), Kip Cullinan (• IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB) and Noah Cook.

HR–U: Noah Cook; FD: Drake Miller, Shane Halligan, Bryer Nelson. 2B–M: Chris Miller; FD: Nate Scherff, Drew Callon. RBI–U: Chris Miller (4), Brook Heinen (2), Noah Cook (3), Ben DeKruyf, Casey Steen; FD: Drake Miller (4), Shane Halligan (4), Bryer Nelson.

URBANDALE 7, FORT DODGE 4

Urbandale 004 012 0 — 7 7 0

Fort Dodge 010 030 0 — 4 8 2

Ty Langenberg (W, 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 K, 2 BB), Grant Garwood (1• IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 K, 0 BB), Luke Patzner (1ª IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB) and Noah Cook; Drew Callon (L, 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 K, 4 BB), Mason Bockoven (2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 K, 1 BB) and Shane Halligan.

HR–FD: Drew Callon, Drake Miller. 2B–U: Noah Cook, Lucas Strain, Kip Cullinan. RBI–U: Noah Cook (3), Kip Cullinan; FD: Drew Callon, Drake Miller (2), Brycen Bell.