Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Haley Wills of Fort Dodge connects for an RBI single against Dowling on Monday at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

A few hours before the first pitch of the 2019 softball campaign, Fort Dodge found out about its No. 3 preseason ranking — the program’s highest-ever position in Class 5A.

Some teams would be flattered by the recognition and treat such a lofty rating as a badge of honor. Head coach Andi Adams made it clear that her Dodgers — even after sweeping West Des Moines Dowling by scores of 11-1 and 5-3 on Monday — will continue to embrace their trademark underdog mentality despite a potential tidal wave of validation from the outside world.

“Rankings are fun for discussion and for fans to talk about, but they don’t win you games. In fact, they can have the opposite effect,” Adams said. “We appreciate the (early nod from the IGHSAU), but we’re out to prove ourselves all over again. What we did last year is over … the slate is wiped clean.

“Regardless of the number in front of us, we’re going to play with a clean slate every single night. You can’t just show up in this league and expect your ranking or record to intimidate (an opponent). You have to work, you have to execute and be physically and mentally prepared.”

Fort Dodge was just that in its sweep of the Maroons. Adams’ squad banged out 22 hits, played flawless defense and received ace-level pitching in starting the year 2-0 at Rogers Park.

The Dodgers plated four runs in both the second and third inning of the opener, then delivered a three-run knockout punch to prevail via the mercy rule in the sixth. Their traditional sluggers struggled early on, but it didn’t matter much as the bottom four hitters in the lineup went a combined 8-for-13 with five runs scored and five RBI.

Freshmen Haley Wills and Tory Bennett had three hits each, with Wills driving in three. Fellow ninth-grader Martyne Lowrey went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI from the No. 9 spot in the order.

“That’s what I love about this team — the balance,” Adams said. “We have so many tough outs in our lineup … players that just battle at the plate and grind out at-bats.

“We don’t have any perfect players obviously, but we pick each other up and fill the gaps. What one player doesn’t do or can’t do, someone else is there to take care of it.”

The Dodgers were also relentless in going with the pitch and taking the ball to the opposite field. Of their 13 hits in game one, only two were of the pull variety. Wills dumped three hits into right, Bennett added two, and Lowrey, Daphne Alstott, Jalen Adams and Chloe Wertz all went the opposite way once as well.

“We’ve really worked on that,” coach Adams said of spraying the ball. “It’s been a point of emphasis.”

Meanwhile, Jalen Adams — Andi’s freshman daughter — was on cruise control in the pitcher’s circle. Adams allowed only four hits and struck out eight in a dominant complete-game performance.

“Jalen was on, and the defense was spectacular behind her,” coach Adams said. “We made a number of incredible plays, namely (diving catches) by (rightfielder) Sophia Klinger and (leftfielder) Chloe Wertz.”

While Fort Dodge didn’t commit a single error, Dowling’s defense was shaky. The Maroons committed five miscues that led to five unearned runs in the opener.

Alstott and Adams contributed two hits each. Bennett and Lowrey both scored twice.

The nightcap looked to be more of the same when the Dodgers plated five runs in the opening frame. After an Alstott single and an Aubrey Davis double to bring her home, Loghen Schnetzer roped a two-run home run to left-center field.

Adams doubled, Bennett singled, and after some slick baserunning and a Wills RBI groundout, it was quickly 5-0.

Fort Dodge wouldn’t score again, though, as a number of hard-hit balls went right to Dowling defenders. The Maroons, meanwhile, rallied to within 5-3 in the fourth on a bases-clearing three-run double.

Wills worked the first four innings for the victory, with junior Katelyn Werning and Adams shutting the door from there. The two combined to allow only a single baserunner over the final three frames, with Werning picking up the hold and Adams the save.

Alstott, a senior DMACC recruit, was 3-for-3 in the second contest. Adams doubled twice.

“We knew Dowling wasn’t going to go away quietly,” Adams said. “It got to 5-3 and they had a lot of momentum, but again, our pitching and defense took care of things and finished the job.”

The Dodgers swept as eight of the school’s 1971 softball team members looked on. They were honored before the first pitch. In its inaugural season that fall, Fort Dodge reached the state tournament under the direction of coach Ed McNeil.

Adams was also recognized between games by IGHSAU executive director Jean Berger for being named Iowa Coach of the Year and Central Region Natoinal Coach of the Year in 2018.

The Dodgers return to action on Saturday at the Sioux City Heelan Invitational.

FORT DODGE 11, DOWLING 1 (6)

Dowling 000 100 — 1 4 5

Fort Dodge 044 003 — 11 13 0

WP–Jalen Adams (6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K). LP–Alyssa Last (5 IP, 13 H, 11 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K). 2B–D: McKenna Moses. SB–FD: Daphne Alstott, Haley Wills, Martyne Lowrey.

FORT DODGE 5, DOWLING 3

Dowling 000 300 0 — 3 6 1

Fort Dodge 500 000 x — 5 9 0

WP–Haley Wills (4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K). LP–Karley Swesey (6 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 1 K). 2B–FD: Jalen Adams 2, Aubrey Davis. HR–FD: Loghen Schnetzer; D: Bri Rodriguez 2, Emma Gipple. SB–FD: Daphne Alstott.