PLEASANT HILL — The Fort Dodge baseball team nearly completed a late-inning rally against No. 8 (Class 4A) Southeast Polk here Wednesday night.

The Rams, though, hung on for a 4-3 victory in the opener before taking the nightcap, 8-3.

Fort Dodge fell in a 4-0 hole in game one before Brycen Bell sparked a three-run sixth. Bell finished 3-for-3 and drove in two runs to lead the Dodgers.

Drake Miller, Nick Bice and Drake Callon all scored.

Mason Bockoven gave FDSH six strong innings, striking out three with six hits allowed, four earned run and two walks.

“Southeast Polk just took advantage of more situations than we did,” FDSH head coach Blake Utley said. “Our guys are doing certain things really, really good, but we just need to work on the things we aren’t doing so well. Our guys will work on those things and we’ll keep pushing them every single day.

“This is a great group and we know they will continue to get better.”

For the Rams, Evan Gjersvik came up with the key hit, connecting on a two-RBI triple. Jake Benson earned the win, striking out two in five-plus innings on the mound.

Drew Callon, Bockoven and Miller each had two hits in the second game, with Shane Halligan, Easton Cone and Dylan Zimmermann all driving in a run.

Zimmermann got the start on the mound, striking out four in four-plus innings.

Every single on of Brycen’s hits were two-strike hits,” Utley said. “He had a great night for us.”

Southeast Polk’s Luke Stark tossed a complete-game, scattering 10 hits with three earned runs and just one strikeout. Aaron Dutoit and Kaleb Krier drove in two runs each.

The Dodgers return to action Thursday at third-ranked Ankeny Centennial. First-pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.