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FRUSTRATIONS MOUNT

Dodgers can't stop recent slide in twinbill loss

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Triston Bockoven slides safely into home for Fort Dodge against Des Moines Roosevelt on Thursday at McNeil Field. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Des Moines Roosevelt used the long ball to turn back the Fort Dodge baseball team in a doubleheader at Ed McNeil Field on Thursday night.

The Dodgers (10-17 overall) were unable to come up with the big hit in the opener, dropping a tight 4-3 decision to the Roughriders (19-12).

In the nightcap, Roosevelt built an early lead with three home runs and rode the arm of Jaden Morris to earn the doubleheader sweep, 17-4.

“I thought in the first game it was two pretty equally-matched teams,” said FDSH head coach Blake Utley. “They hit a couple of fly balls that went over the wall and we couldn’t come up with timely hits.

“We left a lot of guys on base and just couldn’t come up with a big hit.”

Jake Espeland and Walker Bennett hit home runs in the second and third innings respectively to take a 2-0 lead, but the Dodgers answered with two in the bottom of the third.

Senior Jace Ulrich tied the contest two-out, two-run single to plate Landen Hout and Triston Bockoven.

Roosevelt took a 4-0 lead with two in the fourth and Fort Dodge’s run in the fifth was the final run of the contest.

Ulrich finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Eli Elsbecker also drove in a run.

Both Roosevelt’s Shea Stickel and Fort Dodge’s Carson Peterson went the distance. Stickel allowed five hits and two earned runs.

The Roughriders combined for 27 hits in the contest — five of which left the park.

“I thought both of our starters pitched well,” Utley said. “Again, they had big hits and we just couldn’t find a way to score runs.

“We just have to put this behind us and move forward.”

Bockoven led the Dodgers at the plate in the second contest, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Dalton Rosalez had a double and an RBI, and Drew Moritz drove in a run.

Roosevelt used home runs from Stickel, Morris and Andrew Swanda to build an early 7-2 lead.

Swanda, Tanner Short and Spencer DeMarco had three hits and two RBI each for the Roughriders. Charles Jansen drove in three runs and Morris had two RBI as well.

The Dodgers are back in action on Friday when they travel to face Sioux CIty North for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

DES MOINES ROOSEVELT 4, FORT DODGE 3

Roosevelt 011 200 0 — 4 11 1

Fort Dodge 002 010 0 — 3 5 1

WP–Shea Stickel 7IP, 5H, 2ER, 2BB, 1SO; LP–Carson Peterson 7IP, 11H, 4ER, 0BB, 1SO; 2B–DMR: Stickel; HR–DMR: Jake Espeland, Walker Bennett.

DES MOINES ROOSEVELT 17, FORT DODGE 4

Roosevelt 133 102 7 — 17 16 6

Fort Dodge 200 100 1 — 4 6 3

WP–Jaden Morris; LP–Triston Bockoven; 2B–DMR: Charles Jansen; FD: Dalton Rosalez; HR–DMR: Shea Stickel, Morris; Andrew Swanda.

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