Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Fort Dodge's Tory Bennett slides safely into second base during the regular season against Mason City at Rogers Park.

Fort Dodge’s highly-anticipated postseason starts on Saturday, as the second-ranked Dodgers face Sioux City North in a Class 5A regional semifinal at Rogers Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Diamond 1.

Head coach Andi Adams’s squad has parlayed last year’s state runner-up finish into a banner campaign in 2021. Fort Dodge is 33-4 overall, with victories in 27 of its last 28 contests. The Dodgers have completed nine consecutive shutouts between ace pitchers Jalen Adams and Lucy Porter behind a stellar defense, as opponents have gone 43 straight innings without crossing home plate while being outscored 100-0.

Fort Dodge has been an offensive juggernaut, as seven players are hitting .350 or better, seven have at least 20 runs batted in, and nine have scored at least 20 runs. Senior all-stater Tristin Doster — the school’s career home run leader — is batting .515 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI to lead the way.

Eighth-grader Mariah Myers is among the Class 5A leaders with 54 RBI. She is hitting .467. Tory Bennett (.449), Jalen Adams (.412), Sophia Klinger (.398) and Maia Davis (.391) also anchor the Dodgers, who are batting a 5A-best .405 as a team.

Doster and Myers haven’t struck out once this season.

The pitching has been nothing short of brilliant. Adams is 20-1 with an 0.43 earned run average. The junior, a University of Iowa recruit, has gone 14-1 with two saves in her last 18 appearances, with 92 innings pitched and only three earned runs allowed (0.23 ERA).

Eighth-grader Lucy Porter, meanwhile, is undefeated at 13-0. She has the fourth-best ERA in 5A at 1.11, while allowing the fewest hits (41) and second-fewest earned runs (9) among qualified starters.

North advanced with a 7-3 victory over West. The Stars are led by Olivia O’Brien (.449 batting average, 42 runs, 23 RBI), Avery Beller (.349 BA), Courtney Johnson (.344, 23 RBI) and Payton Risetter (.341, 31 runs).

Johnson (9-8) and Karsyn Hicks (6-9) are their top pitchers.

Saturday’s winner will take on either Sioux City East (19-19) or Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson (8-29) in a regional final on Tuesday. If the Dodgers prevail, it will be back at Rogers Park.

Fort Dodge is attempting to reach state for the fourth consecutive season, and sixth time in seven years.