Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Haley Wills of Fort Dodge runs past Sioux City North’s Hailey Hooley for a run during a Class 5A semifinal at Rogers Park on Saturday. For more photos, visit CU at messengernews.net

Fort Dodge took the necessary first step here on Saturday.

Now, the eighth-ranked (Class 5A) Dodgers are one step away.

Behind a big opening inning and the pitching of eighth-grader Jalen Adams, FDSH advanced past Sioux City North in a Region 1 semifinal at Rogers Park last night, 7-1.

The stage is now set for Andi Adams’ squad, who will head to Urbandale on Tuesday and face the No. 6 J-Hawks for a regional championship and spot in the upcoming state tournament. Urbandale ousted Sioux City East on Saturday in the other semifinal, 13-0.

The CIML Iowa Conference rivals split the four-game regular-season series and jockeyed to one-up each other in the Top-10 down the stretch. The Dodgers (34-7 overall) have won 18 of their last 21 contests. Urbandale (29-10) has taken 11 of its last 13.

”We’re really looking forward to the opportunity, obviously,” Adams said. ”Urbandale has been to the last three state tournaments, and they’re a very talented team top to bottom who played their best ball down the stretch. We know each other well after playing four times.

”As a competitor, this is what you want. And our players have earned it.”

Fort Dodge had to first make sure it didn’t get caught looking ahead, and a four-run opening frame helped ease any tension.

Three runs came of the unearned variety with two outs and the ball never leaving the infield. Eighth-grader Tory Bennett turned a sharply-hit grounder that the second baseman misplayed into a run by advancing to third on another throwing error, then scampering home when the pitcher wasn’t paying attention.

Daphne Alstott and Tristin Doster had hits in the inning, while Bre Tjebben knocked in a run.

Adams (18-3) surrendered a solo homer in the top of the first, but had the Stars (14-15) perplexed the rest of the evening. The first nine outs Adams recorded came via strikeout, and she had whiffed 13 through five before finishing at that number.

Adams allowed four hits in the complete-game performance, setting a career high for strikeouts.

”I’m very proud of her,” said Andi, Jalen’s mother. ”No one is harder on her — or is going to be harder on her — than me. She handled herself well, and the defense was flawless behind her, which is always going to be critical.”

Though a 4-1 lead was more than enough, Fort Dodge plated an insurance run in the third and two more in the fourth.

Adams singled in Doster — who had doubled before her — to make it 5-1. Chloe Wertz and Alstott both scored after reaching on an error and a single, respectively, via an RBI groundout by Aubrey Davis and a wild pitch.

The Dodgers’ prolific offense, which leads 5A in runs, hits and RBI by a wide margin, sputtered a little against Hailey Hoogers (13-12). Fort Dodge had only five hits and four earned runs. Six North errors sunk the visitor’s chances.

The Stars had won seven of eight before Saturday.

”(Hoogers) did a good job against us,” Adams said. ”We wanted to get off to big start and not let up, but she kind of calmed the waters after the defense made some mistakes behind her in that (four-run first).”

Pinch-runner Haley Wills — also an eighth-grader — stole a pair of bases for FDSH. Kaden Pederson and Martyne Lowrey also swiped bags.

The Dodgers will be making their eighth consecutive regional final appearance as a program on Tuesday. Fort Dodge has also established a new school record for wins in a 40-game season, which was adopted by the IGHSAU in 2008.

First pitch at Gary Page Field in Urbandale will be at 7 p.m.

FORT DODGE 7, SIOUX CITY NORTH 1

SC North 100 000 0 — 1 4 6

Fort Dodge 401 200 x — 7 5 0

WP–Jalen Adams (18-3; 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 13 K). LP–Hailey Hoogers (13-12; 6 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K). 2B–FD: Tristin Doster; SCN: Isabelle Hesse. HR–SCN: Kylee Eickholt. SB–FD: Haley Wills 2, Kaden Pederson, Martyne Lowrey.