Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Triston Bockoven of Fort Dodge slides safely into second base on Monday at McNeil Field. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

Much like Monday’s doubleheader with Ames, the Fort Dodge baseball team is preparing for the “next” season.

After taking the opener from the Little Cyclones, 11-5, the Dodgers fell in the nightcap, 14-1 in five innings at Ed McNeil Field.

Fort Dodge (12-18 overall) found out earlier in the day that they will head to Ankeny Centennial to begin Class 4A postseason play.

“We’ll use these remaining regular season games to prepare us for that date,” FDSH head coach Blake Utley said. “That’s where our focus turns to now. We want to be as ready and prepared for the postseason as we possibly can.

“(Monday) showed how important it is to give your pitcher a lead and continue to build on that. We did that in the first game, and Ames did it in the second.”

Seniors Triston Bockoven and Jace Ulrich each hit a homer and a double, driving in a combined seven runs in the opener. Bockoven got the Dodgers on the board early with a two-run blast in the first.

Dalton Rosalez, who had an RBI-double in the first inning alongside Ulrich, added two hits. Drake Callon and Eli Elsbecker added an RBI, with Callon and Ulrich each scoring twice.

Bockoven scored three times, while Carson Peterson, Drew Moritz and Ty Adams crossed home once. Adams and Landen Hout each had a hit.

Peterson pitched the first five innings, earning his third win of the season. He struck out three, walked three and allowed three runs.

“Carson is a leader,” Utley said. “When he is out there on the mound, everyone just seems to want to give it everything like he does. He pitched well and we really were clicking at the plate.

“We played pretty good in the field all night, but we just can’t put ourselves in that big of a hole like we did (in the second game).”

The Little Cyclones (17-15) scored seven in the second to gain control early behind pitcher Mario Napolitano, who also helped his own cause with three doubles. Ames hit five doubles and two homers as a squad.

Bockoven recorded a double for FDSH, driving in Callon for the lone run in the fifth. Ethan Baade tallied two hits, while Callon, Peterson, Ulrich and Rosalez each had a hit.

Ames won the season opener between the two teams by scores of 3-0 and 5-2.

Next action for the Dodgers will be Wednesday at Ankeny. They conclude the week Thursday at Waukee Northwest.

FORT DODGE 11, AMES 5

Ames 001 110 2 — 5 7 2

FD 400 502 x — 11 8 2

WP–Carson Peterson (3-3, 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K). LP–Griff Linder (1-4, 3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K).

HR–A: Aidan Nigh, Drew Peterson; FD: Triston Bockoven, Jace Ulrich. 2B–A: Austin Gabrielson; FD: Triston Bockoven, Jace Ulrich, Dalton Rosalez. RBI–A: Aidan Nigh, Austin Gabrielson, Drew Peterson; FD: Drake Callon, Triston Bockoven (4), Jace Ulrich (3), Eli Elsbecker, Dalton Rosalez.

AMES 14, FORT DODGE 1 (5 inn.)

Ames 170 33 — 14 13 1

FD 000 01 — 1 7 2

WP–Mario Napolitano (3-3, 5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K). LP–Alex Underwood (3-3, 1ª IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 0 K).

HR–A: Carter Geffre, Austin Gabrielson. 2B–A: Aidan Nigh, Carter Geffre, Mario Napolitano (3); FD: Triston Bockoven. RBI–A: Aidan Nigh (2), Evan Grey (3), Carter Geffre (2), Austin Gabrielson (2), Mario Napolitano, Drew Peterson; FD: Triston Bockoven.