Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Eli Elsbecker of fort dodge makes a diving stop against Des Moines North at McNeil Field on Thursday. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Thursday night was all about the seven Fort Dodge seniors on the diamond, and the Class of 2020 put on a show at Ed McNeil Field.

The Dodgers (9-5 overall) scored 28 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Des Moines North (1-16), winning 13-1 in five innings and 15-0 in four innings.

Every senior that was on the lineup card saw action in the contest. The five Dodgers available to play had nine of the 22 twinbill’s hits. They scored seven runs and drove in eight.

“This was the seniors’ night,” said FDSH head coach Blake Utley. “Every senior got a chance to play, and every senior contributed. It was exciting to honor the guys who have meant so much to our program.”

Fort Dodge, which has won nine of their last 11, has four more contests at Ed McNeil Field this year.

“We have been playing well and these guys are expecting it,” Utley said. “They treat it like a business. They work hard and do all the little things right.

“We split (on Wednesday), but were able to get back on track. When guys get in a rut, there is someone there to pick it up. (Thursday) we were popping the ball up early, then Jace Ulrich laces a ball to left and laces another one to center to get us going.”

Senior Nick Bice was 4-for-6 with four runs and four RBI to lead the Dodgers at the plate. Classmate Mason Bockoven was 4-for-7 with two RBI and three runs scored.

The Dodgers jumped all over the Polar Bears in the opening contest, posting four runs in the first inning. Bockoven recorded three hits while Bice and sophomore Eli Elsbecker had two each.

Senior twin brothers Nelson Cone and Easton Cone both picked up victories on the mound for the Dodgers. Nelson earned the win in the first contest, allowing only four hits and one earned run. He struck out seven and walked only one.

Easton only had to go four innings for the Dodgers in the finale, allowing three hits and no runs. He struck out one and walked zero.

Ulrich drove in two runs, while Bockoven had a triple and Elsbecker added a double as part of Fort Dodge’s 13-hit performance.

Freshman Conner Carver, who saw the first varsity action of his career, provided the spark to send the Dodgers home with the victory. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Carver stroked a line drive to the wall to clear the bases and help the Dodgers walk-off with the 15-run rule.

Fort Dodge closed out the contest with six runs in each of the final two frames.

“I was talking to coach (Nick) Vinson and he said Conner had been hitting well at the junior varsity games, so we thought (Thursday) night would be a great game to bring him up,” Utley said. “We wanted to give him a shot, so we brought him in at catcher and then thought, ‘let’s get him an at-bat. He came through with a big hit.”

Sophomore Carson Peterson was 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI. Junior Tyler Schreier and Bice were both 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.

Senior Jordan Mills had an RBI as well.

Bockoven, Bice, the Cones, Mills, and the injured Shane Halligan and Brycen Bell were honored as part of the senior class for the Dodgers.

Fort Dodge is back in action on Monday when it travels to face Des Moines Hoover. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

FORT DODGE 13, DES MOINES NORTH 1

DM North 000 01 –1 4 4

Fort Dodge 423 4x — 13 13 1

WP–Nelson Cone (5IP, 4H, 1ER, 1BB, 7SO); 2B–FD: Eli Elsbecker; 3B–FD: Mason Bockoven.

FORT DODGE 15, DES MOINES NORTH 0

DM North 000 0 — 0 3 3

Fort Dodge 216 6 — 15 9 2

WP–Easton Cone (4IP, 3H, 0ER, 0BB, 1SO); 2B–FD: Conner Carver, Nick Bice.