-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Meah McCaleb of Fort Dodge slides around LeMars Kylie hofmann during 4A regional on Saturday at Rogers Park

Fort Dodge was ready.

All of the preparation and three straight losses to end the regular season didn’t shake the sixth-ranked Dodger softball team.

It just made them tougher.

The Dodgers (29-12 overall) used that fuel as they opened postseason play with an 11-1 victory over Le Mars (22-15) in a Class 4A Region 1 semifinal on Saturday.

Fort Dodge had recent setbacks versus No. 6 Ankeny Centennial, 13th-rated Waukee and fifth-ranked Johnston — all members of 5A.

“Our schedule prepares us for this,” said FDSH head coach Andi Adams. “Our players knew what needed to be done, and they went out there and competed.”

The Dodgers will now play for a seventh straight state tournament appearance and 20th overall when they host 14th-ranked Sergeant Bluff-Luton (29-6) on Tuesday back at Rogers Park. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

The final tally was impressive, given the Bulldogs came in with a solid resume. Le Mars junior Charli Grosenheider was second in Class 4A with 13 home runs, and was fifth with 43 RBI.

Junior pitcher Breanna Leraas is third in 4A with 271 strikeouts.

“I was a little nervous coming in, because they have a good team,” Adams said. “Anytime you have a pitcher that has 271 strikeouts…she can pitch.

“They had a strong hitter with 13 home runs. Anytime you can stop that, it’s critical.”

The Dodgers thwarted those weapons, as junior pitcher Lucy Porter induced Grosenheider to pop up to the catcher and fooled her on a changeup.

Fort Dodge hitters only struck out once against Lerans, who was averaging eight per game.

“We were patient at the plate and were able to put the ball in play,” Adams said. “Once we got on base, we put runners in scoring position (three stolen bases, three sacrifices).”

Fort Dodge junior leadoff hitter Meah McCaleb continued her torrid pace. McCaleb was 3-for-3, reaching base four times and scoring three runs. She also stole two bases.

Thanks to her perfect plate showing, McCaleb raised her batting average 15 points (.402). McCaleb has a four-game hit streak of two or more hits. She has nine hits in the last four contests.

“Meah is just on fire right now,” Adams said. “She is doing what she needs to do at the top of the order and setting the table.”

Porter (18-10) had a masterful night in the circle, allowing only three hits to a team who had 16 home runs and carried a .379 team on-base percentage.

Porter only gave up the home run and struck out five batters, walking zero. She sat the side down in order twice, and at one point, sat down 11 straight Bulldog hitters.

“Lucy wants the ball and she wants it for a reason,” Adams said. “She threw hard and kept their hitters off-balance.”

Fort Dodge exploded early against the Bulldogs, plating five runs in the first inning. Freshman Ellie Doster and eighth-grader Aubrey Alstott both had two-run singles.

The Dodgers had another big inning coming in the fourth, highlighted by an RBI-double from senior Macy Brown that scored speedy junior Ashlyn Wills all the way from first. Alstott then doubled in Brown.

Freshman Calliegh Zimmermann plated Alstott on a ball over the outfielder’s head for a sure double, but the freshman didn’t hesitate, stretching it into a sliding triple to score Alstott.

The lone highlight for the Bulldogs came on a fourth inning home run from Addison Bogh.

The Dodgers shut the door in the fifth inning with two more runs. McCaleb started the frame with a double and crossed home on a hit by freshman Hope Alstott. Doster recorded her fourth RBI off the contest with a sacrifice fly.

The top five Dodger spots in the lineup recorded eight of the 11 runs. With McCaleb’s three, Alstott and Wills scored twice, while courtesy runner Maddie Hoshaw crossed the plate.

Brown scored two and Aubrey Alstott also scored a run.

The Warriors enter the game against the Dodgers on a nine-game win streak. They beat Sioux Center 6-0 to advance.

Sergeant Bluff-Lutton and Le Mars played four times this season, splitting each doubleheader.

“We just have to keep doing what we are doing,” Adams said. “Everything that we did and worked on and for this season comes down to this point and time and as we move forward.”

FORT DODGE 11, LE MARS 1

Le Mars 000 10 — 1 3 3

Fort Dodge 510 32 — 11 10 0

WP–Lucy Porter (18-10, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO); LP–Breanna Leraas (4-plus IP, 11 H, 8 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO); 2B–FD: Meah McCaleb, Aubrey Alstott; 3B–FD: Callliegh Zimmerman; HR–LM: Addison Bogh. SAC–FD: Macy Brown; SF–FD: Aubrey Alstott, Ellie Doster; SB–FD: McCaleb (2), Hope Alstott; MH–FD: McCaleb (3), Aubrey Alstott (2); LM: Bogh; RBI–FD: Ellie Doster (4), Aubrey Alstott (3), Brown, Zimmermann.