Fort Dodge baseball coach Blake Utley stressed that stringing together wins at this time of year is important.

His baseball team is starting to do just that.

The Dodgers (13-23 overall) picked up their third win in row with a 6-2 victory over Le Mars at Ed McNeil Field Saturday. The Dodgers had lost 10 straight before sweeping Des Moines North on Wednesday.

Fort Dodge had a four-game win streak earlier in the year.

“It’s huge. It’s just so important at the end of the season to build some momentum,” said Utley. “It shows the kind of team we can be when we all work together.”

Sophomore Dylan Zimmermann went the first five innings to get the win. He allowed just three hits and struck out six batters. Drake Miller and Mason Bockoven each worked one inning.

“Dylan was in command,” said Utley. “He did a good job of keeping them off balance.

“We had a plan with our pitchers. We got more than we expected out of Dylan. Drake and Mason came in and were sharp, too.”

Bockoven stayed hot at the plate as well, finishing 3-for-3 and reaching base four times. He also scored three runs.

Bockoven is 14-for-15 at the plate over the last five games.

Zimmerman and Drew Callon had two hits each, and Shane Halligan added a triple.

“We had some timely hitting. We’ve talked about how important that is,” said Utley.

Fort Dodge scored two in the bottom of the first. Zimmermann drove in a run after reaching on a fielder’s choice and another run scored on an error.

Halligan tripled in the third to drive home a run then he scored on a double by Zimmermann for a 4-0 advantage.

Fort Dodge made it 6-0 in the sixth scoring twice on a two-out error by the Bulldogs.

Le Mars (12-16) scored both its runs in the seventh, but Bockoven started a 1-4-3 double play for two outs and then ended the game on a comebacker to the mound.

Fort Dodge finishes the regular season with three home games. The Dodgers host Des Moines East in a doubleheader Monday then play Carroll in a JV-varsity contest Tuesday.

The Dodgers open 4A substate play Friday at Ankeny.

FORT DODGE 6, LE MARS 2

Le Mars 000 000 2 – 2 7 2

Fort Dodge 202 000 2 x – 6 8 0

Josh Pratt, Ethan Kuiken (6) and Mason Parrott. Dylan Zimmerman, Drake Miller (6), Mason Bockoven (7) and Shane Halligan. WP–Pratt, Kuiken. PB–Parrott. HBP–FD: Bockoven (by Pratt), Halligan (by Pratt), Drake Miller (by Pratt), Carson Peterson (by Pratt). 2B–FD: Zimmerman. 3B–FD: Halligan. SB–FD: Drake Callon.