Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Rylan Kingrey of Fort Dodge makes a catch on Monday against Ankeny at McNeil Field. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

The Fort Dodge baseball team wasn’t able to overcome two big innings from Ankeny as they dropped their regular season finale at Ed McNeil Field on Monday.

The Dodgers (19-21 overall) gave up six runs in the second and seven more in the fifth, falling 15-5 to the Hawks (18-22).

“When you give up walks and hit a batter and can’t shut that down, it’s tough to come back from that,” said FDSH head coach Blake Utley. “We are going to walk some guys, of course, but we have to be able to let it end there.

“We did end on a positive note and strung some things together (in the bottom of the fifth). I thought we started to be a little more aggressive at the plate and got some of that moxy back.”

With postseason slated to start this Friday night, the Dodgers did string together a five-run comeback in the fifth.

Fort Dodge senior Karch Smith plated the first Fort Dodge run of the evening with an RBI-single to score courtesy runner Caiden Fraher. Courtesy runner Davis Underberg scored later.

“Karch is an outstanding young man,” Utley said. “He is one of the most positive guys I have ever coached. One of his teammates could make a bad play, but he’s always there to build them up in the end.

“He’s a big presence in the dugout and on the field.”

Junior Royce Pederson hit a two-run shot over the left-field ivy to bring in Smith and continue the game in the fifth. Jaxson Dencklau then scored on an error.

The Dodgers had five hits. Freshman Bo Marsh had a hit in the fifth after Dalton Eckley reached on a walk.

Marsh had two hits, and Dencklau had the other Dodger hit.

“I do like how we battled in the fifth,” Utley said. “Bo started us off with a hit, then Karch came up with a big hit in his final at bat at home. Royce hit a shot.

“Did we play well enough to win? No. But we didn’t give up.”

Ankeny had 12 hits off two Dodger pitchers. Henry He was 3-for-3 with an RBI.

Blake Morgan and Carson Riggs added two hits each. Morgan drove in three runs.

Ankeny senior Jack Clevidence hit a two-run homer in the fourth and drove in three runs. Kinnick Vos and Will Davies contributed two RBI each. Samuel Sandvig also drove in a run.

Clevidence picked up the win, going two innings, allowing one hit while striking out five.

Fort Dodge honored seniors Jace Johnson and Smith, who played their final games at McNeil Field.

“Jace is a hard worker and loves baseball,” Utley said. “He is all about the sport and works to get better every day.

“His best days are ahead of him. He is going to be a great player when heads to Coe. Both Karch and Jace mean a lot to me and to this program.”

The Dodgers open postseason play on Friday at Des Moines Roosevelt in a Class 4A Substate 4 first-round contest.

ANKENY 15, FORT DODGE 5

Ankeny 060 27 — 15 12 2

Fort Dodge 000 05 — 5 5 2

WP–Jack Clevidence (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO); LP–Tru McBride (2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO); HR–A: Clevidence; FD: Royce Pederson; MH–A: Ha (3), Morgan (2), Riggs (2); FD: Bo Marsh (2); RBI–A: Clevidence (3), Morgan (3), Vos (2), Davies (2), Sandvig, Ha; FD: Pederson (2), Smith; LOB–A: 5, FD 5.