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Heightened sense of awareness

No. 2 Dodgers all business in 5A regional softball opener

Andi Adams preaches the value of urgency to her teams every year at tournament time.

She wasn’t quite sure if she was getting through to her second-ranked (Class 5A) Dodgers before Friday night. One score changed all of that.

“I got a text that (third-rated) Humboldt had lost (in the Wildcats’ 3A regional semifinal at home against Algona) and my heart just sunk,” Adams said. “And then the word spread quickly. I think that got everyone’s attention in a hurry, given how close a lot of our girls are to the (Humboldt players).

“They were sad. I was sad. We had talked, if we won this first (postseason game), about going up and watching them on Monday (in a regional final at Humboldt). And it was over just like that. Of course nothing good comes out of a loss like that, but it really hit home with our girls how quickly it can end. This wasn’t just the coaches warning them anymore. This was reality.”

Fort Dodge came out with a renewed sense of purpose in its Region 3 opener on Saturday at Rogers Park, taking out Sioux City East by a score of 9-0. The Dodgers (33-6 overall) will now face Ankeny (20-18) on Diamond 1 Tuesday for one of eight 5A state tournament bids.

Adams’ program has advanced to the regional championship round in nine consecutive years. FDSH is trying to earn a third state bid in four seasons, and 10th since 2002.

The Dodgers came at the Black Raiders (19-15) from any and all directions on Saturday. Eight different players had hits, five drove in runs, and six scored.

Meanwhile, freshman ace Jalen Adams (22-2) was in complete command. There was only one blip on Adams’ radar — a softly-hit infield single in the first inning — as she fired a one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. No other batter reached base after the first.

Fort Dodge plated a run in the first and two in the second, then broke things open with a four-run fourth. Sophomore catcher Tristin Doster delivered an RBI single and a run-scoring double, while freshman shortstop Tory Bennett came through with a pair of RBI singles.

Seniors Daphne Alstott (3-for-4) and Aubrey Davis (2-for-4), meanwhile, combined for five hits and three runs scored. And for good measure, the Dodgers’ 8 and 9 hitters — sophomore Chloe Wertz and freshman Martyne Lowrey — reached base five times between the two of them.

“I’m so proud of everyone; they were locked in,” Adams said. “It was great to see our seniors, Daph and Aubrey, step up and set the tone. Tory and Tristin had some big hits. We’re that much more dangerous when Chloe and Martyne do that. Even Haley (Wills, who was 0-for-3) hit some shots. And Jalen pitched a terrific game. She was locked in.

“This is their dance. We’ve prepared all season long and even well before it for moments like this. It’s time for me to get out of their way and let them do their thing.”

As for squaring off with Ankeny, which FDSH did not face during the regular season, Adams added, “we have to just keep playing our game. Regardless of who we’re going up against, it’s about our effort. Our execution. Our focus. That’s all we can control, especially in a one-and-done situation.”

The Dodgers and Hawkettes will meet at 7 p.m. Fort Dodge has won nine in a row and 15 of 16; Ankeny fought through a late-season slump — the Hawkettes dropped seven in a row before closing the year with a victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier — to blank No. 14 Des Moines East, 5-0, in the other Region 3 semifinal on Saturday.

FORT DODGE 9, SIOUX CITY EAST 0

SC East 000 000 0 — 0 1 1

Fort Dodge 120 402 x — 9 14 0

WP–Jalen Adams (22-2; 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K). LP–Chasity Johnson (16-9; 6 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 1 K). 2B–FD: Daphne Alstott, Martyne Lowrey, Tristin Doster. SB–FD: Daphne Alstott.

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