Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: The Fort Dodge softball team celebrates its Class 4A quarterfinal win over Adel-ADM on Monday at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Maggie Elsbecker admits expectations haven’t changed much in the Fort Dodge dugout.

Not because these Dodgers are necessarily trying to match what they’ve done in recent years, or what the rankings say.

This is all about the inner motivation to maximize their own potential and hold each other accountable.

The Dodgers (32-9 overall) passed their first state tourney test in overwhelming fashion on Monday, cruising past sixth-seed Adel-ADM (24-13) by a final of 8-3 to clinch the program’s fourth straight semifinal appearance.

“We expect to win a state championship,” said Elsbecker, one of only two seniors on the Dodger roster alongside Lydia Lara. “We started a little slow, but I think it was more because we were anxious — not because we were nervous.”

The third-seeded Dodgers, who have played in six straight state tournaments, will now face No. 7 seed Winterset (26-12) in Wednesday’s Class 4A semifinal at 11:30 a.m. back on Iowa Central Field.

“Our kids were patient, communicated well like they always do, and trusted in each other,” said FDSH head coach Andi Adams. “This is the time of year when you need to make (the opponent) work. They (ADM) had been on fire.

“We knocked on the door and then kicked it open.”

This is a new mix of Dodgers that have come together to find their own niche. Only two players are back in their original spot from last summer’s state runner-up performance, which marked the third consecutive season Fort Dodge had reached the championship round.

“This team is unlike any that I’ve played on,” said sophomore pitcher Lucy Porter. “We are all so selfless. We unite as one and play well together, as we have combined as a unit.”

It took Fort Dodge a couple of innings to get going — or settle down. The Dodgers took the field amped up ready to play.

ADM got on the board in the first, but the Dodgers paired four- and three-run rallies together to take an insurmountable lead.

Elsbecker broke the Dodgers into the scoring column with a two-run single in the fourth. Eighth-grader Hope Alstott added a two-run single later to give Fort Dodge a 4-1 advantage.

Eighth-grader Ellie Doster recorded a double in the third inning, then riled up the packed stands of Dodger faithful with a burst of emotion. Doster added a triple in the fourth to plate a run. The Dodgers tacked on two more runs on an error and a wild pitch.

“It was great to get things going. I wanted to pump the crowd up,” Doster said. “It’s an incredible feeling to reach the semifinals.

“We have a great group of seniors and a mix of younger players who have come together with the same goals.”

Adams, who had to replace 87 percent of Fort Dodge’s offense heading into 2023, looked to two eighth-graders to fill the void in the starting rotation. Doster and Alstott came up big in the Dodger victory on Monday.

“They are both so young and innocent, but I’m so proud of what they’re doing,” Adams said. “Hope is the type of player that doesn’t show many emotions, but goes out there and has fun playing the game.

“The girls feed off of Ellie’s emotions. One is 14 (years old) and the other is barely 14.”

For the first time in 13 state tournament games, dating back to 2018, someone was in the pitching circle for Fort Dodge other than Jalen Adams. Porter has stepped into that No. 1 pitching role seamlessly.

“Lucy wants the ball,” Adams said. “She goes out there and plays loose and with energy.”

Fort Dodge’s final run came on a sacrifice from Elsbecker, who had three RBI on the day.

“We lost a lot of great players from last year’s team and nobody necessarily expected us to be here,” Elsbecker said. “But honestly we feel great about who we are.

“Lydia and I know what we have to do as seniors, keeping things loose and picking up the team when we need to.”

Adams echoed the sentiments of her senior leader.

“Lydia is the mother hen out there, which is one of the toughest jobs,” Adams said. “Maggie skips in and out of the field. She’s always loose. The younger girls see that and buy into it.

“This is a brand-new team, and they all play for each other.”

Alstott finished with two RBI. Sophomore Ashlyn Wills also drove in a run and scored three times, while junior Naomi Alexander scored twice.

“We complement each other well,” Alstott said. “We pick each other up as a team. If someone gets out, we know the next person is ready to go.

“It felt good to be able to get two runners in. I just went up there to do my job.”

Porter (20-8), who was pitching in her first state tournament, allowed three earned runs and struck out five.

“This was my first time pitching at state, so I wanted to go out and do whatever was needed,” Porter said. “Our team just plays calm and collected.

“When the game started, we were a little anxious, but we kept our composure.”

Ellis Smith led the Tigers with three hits, while Madi James contributed two. ADM will now play Carlisle on Tuesday at 1 p.m. on Dodger Field.

FORT DODGE 8, ADM 3

ADM 100 000 2 — 3 10 2

Fort Dodge 004 301 x — 8 7 1

WP–Lucy Porter (20-8, 7 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO); LP–Lauren Hagedorn (12-9, 6 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 5 BB, 2 SO); LOB–ADM 8, Fort Dodge 4; 2B–ADM: Ellis Smith, Hagedorn; FD: Ashlyn Wills, Ellie Doster, Meah McCaleb; 3B–ADM: Smith; FD: Doster; HR–ADM: Makayla Crannell; SACF–ADM: Addison Banse; SACB–FD: Elsbecker, Macy Brown; SB–FD: McCaleb, Lydia Lara; RBI–ADM: Crannell, Banse, Madi James; FD: Elsbecker (3), Hope Alstott (2), Doster, Ashlyn Wills.