Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Ashlyn Wills of Fort Dodge slides safely into home against Ankeny on Wednesday at Rogers Park. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

Cadence Touney knew what was at stake, then went to work.

The third-ranked (Class 4A) Fort Dodge softball team (19-6 overall) had just rallied to tie No. 2 (5A) Ankeny 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth after the Dodgers’ offense had been dormant for six full innings.

Touney worked the count against Ankeny pitcher Aubrey Rusher, then delivered a clutch triple to right field, plating Hope Alstott and Lydia Lara to give FDSH a lead it wouldn’t relinquish in this Top-5 showdown.

“I was just going up there to do my job and try to get us another run,” Touney said. “As the game progresses and you get the feel of it, you know you’re never out of it.

“We were probably the underdogs (on paper), so we wanted to take advantage of that.”

Fort Dodge would go on to add three more runs and earn a dramatic 7-3 victory over the Hawks (20-6) on Wednesday at Rogers Park, ending Ankeny’s four-straight shutout victory streak.

The Dodgers have won four straight against the Hawks overall, and are 13-5 vs. Ankeny since 2012.

“Wins like this don’t happen in June, they happen in October,” said Fort Dodge head coach Andi Adams. “These girls put in a ton of work (in the offseason) and it shows. They want the ball. They want to make a play, and they have fun doing it.

“Nobody thought this team could be what we are — except for us. These girls just want to be a part of the Fort Dodge legacy and continue to add to it.”

After a clutch seven-run sixth and big at bats from some of her young players, Adams reflected on the maturity her squad showed.

“Cadence came up to the coaching staff (earlier Wednesday) and asked to play junior varsity,” Adams said. “She wanted to get more reps (at the plate) so she could see the ball better.

“I love that when players want to work and be the best they can be.”

Lara plated the first Dodger run with a single, as Meah McCaleb scored. Maggie Elsbecker crossed the plate on an error to tie it at 2.

“Lydia is a senior and she wants it,” Adams said. “If you watch them play, they are having fun and that is the coolest thing. Maggie comes off the field skipping.

“That’s what it’s all about: playing together, doing your job and having fun.”

Touney scored on an error, and Lucy Porter’s triple brought home Kenzie McIlrath. The final Dodger run came when Porter scored on a sacrifice from Macy Brown.

Elsbecker had two hits on the night.

“You learn more and more from watching film,” Porter said. “I knew I was going to get that outside pitch and I just wanted to go with it.”

The big inning started with bases loaded and nobody out. The Dodgers’ scoring barrage came with one out.

“They wanted this win so bad,” Adams said.

Porter (12-6) earned the win, allowing only four hits against one of the best hitting teams in the state. The sophomore struck out five batters and walked three.

“We don’t really look at rankings to see who is the favorite,” Porter said. “We just play with confidence, knowing anything can happen.”

Porter held the Hawks hitless and scoreless from the fourth through the sixth inning, where she sat the side down in order and even turned a double play. She even kept Texas Tech recruit Cassie Johnson quiet. The Hawk sophomore leads 5A in home runs (11) and has the fifth best batting average (.544).

Porter caught Johnson looking on strikes and forced her into a fly out to left, before inducing an infield fly out.

Ankeny’s runs came on a Kendra Winfrey solo home run, an RBI-double from Kendra Lewis and an RBI-double from Kennedy Palmer.

“I am beyond proud of every level of softball,” Adams said. “We have 20 girls total, and they are all part of the wins for all levels our program had against Ankeny (in a sweep on Wednesday).”

The Dodgers are back in action on Friday when they had to Linn-Mar for a two-day tournament.

FORT DODGE 7, ANKENY 3

Ankeny 011 000 1 — 3 4 4

Fort Dodge 000 007 x — 7 9 0

WP–Lucy Porter (12-6, 7 IP, 4H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO); LP–Aubrey Rusher (14-4, 5 1/3 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO); LOB–Ankeny 3, Fort Dodge 2; 2B–Ankeny: Kendra Lewis, Kendra Winfrey, Kennedy Palmer; 3B–FD: Lucy Porter, Cadence Touney; HR–Ankeny: Kendra Winfrey; HBP–FD: Lucy Porter; SACB–FD: Hope Alstott, Macy Brown; SB–Ankeny: Larissa Miller; RBI–Ankeny: Lewis, Winfrey, Palmer; FD: Lydia Lara, Touney (2), Porter, Brown.