Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Fort Dodge senior Landen Grandors pitches on Tuesday against Hampton-Dumont/CAL at Rogers Park. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

Reggie Pederson and the Fort Dodge baseball team had a sparkling debut on Tuesday night.

The Dodgers, playing at Rogers Park for their season opener, cruised to a 28-1 victory over Hampton-Dumont-CAL in four innings.

“This was a great night coming out of the gates,” said FDSH head coach Blake Utley. “You always hope your team is ready to get things rolling. We sent 20 kids to the plate in the first inning.

“Everyone was hitting the ball hard and getting their barrels behind the ball.”

Pederson, a freshman starting at shortstop, was 4-for-4 and reached base in five plate appearances. He had two doubles and launched a two-run homerun over the monster in left field, driving in nine runs total.

“Reggie is a very talented young man,” Utley said. “I think his experience on the basketball floor (as a varsity starter) was an indication of what he can do athletically and maturity-wise already.

“We know what kind of kid Reggie is. You never know what you’re going to get in your first experience in the box. He was very impressive. I liked seeing him confident.”

It was a night of firsts for the Dodgers, who plated the most runs in a single game during Utley’s 13 seasons. Their previous high was 27 versus Marshalltown.

Also, for the first time under Utley, every Dodger in the starting lineup recorded a hit or reached via walk, while no one struck out.

“We were obviously balanced and productive up and down the lineup,” Utley said. “Our hits weren’t cheap, and we put the ball in play.

“I’m super proud of the guys all the way through.”

The Dodgers jumped on the board early, scoring 17 runs in the first inning, then adding six and five in the next two frames.

Fort Dodge finished the evening with 16 hits. Senior Rylan Kingrey, senior Royce Pederson, sophomore Tru McBride and sophomore Cal Pederson all had two hits.

Kingrey had a double and drove in three runs. Cal Pederson had a double and also contributed three RBI.

Sophomore Will McElroy had a double and three driven in, while junior Jaxson Dencklau knocked in three of his own. Senior Royce Pederson, McBride and sophomore Bo Marsh drove in runs.

Sophomore Davis Underberg contributed a triple.

Scoring runs for the Dodgers were Kingrey (4), Cal Pederson (4), Reggie Pederson (3), McBride (3), sophomore Kolton Schiltz (3), McElroy (3), Underberg (2), Dencklau (2), senior Brayden Reimers (1), Royce Pederson (1), Marsh (1) and freshman Bennett Nekvinda (1).

Landen Grandors earned the victory, firing a three-hitter. He allowed zero earned runs, striking out 10 and walking zero.

“Landon is a guy that we think very highly of,” Utley said. “He threw a lot of strikes. He spotted his fastball well, and threw two or three different pitches for strikes.”

The Dodgers are back in action on Wednesday when they host West Des Moines Dowling in a doubleheader at Ed McNeil Field. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

FORT DODGE 28, HAMPTON-DUMONT-CAL 1

Hampton-Dumont 010 0 — 1 3 3

Fort Dodge (17)65 x — 28 16 2

WP– Landon Grandors (4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO); 2B–FD: Will McElroy, Rylan Kingrey, Reggie Pederson (2), Cal Pederson; 3B–FD: Tru McBride, Davis Underberg; HR–FD: Reggie Pederson.