Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Ellie Doster of Fort Dodge makes a catch in foul territory against Des Moines East on Monday at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

It was business as usual for the eighth-ranked (Class 4A) Fort Dodge softball team here on Monday night at Rogers Park, even with head coach Andi Adams thousands of miles away.

The Dodgers (11-5 overall) won the opener, 9-1 in six innings, and led the nightcap 7-0 in the second when thunderstorms surrounded the area followed by heavy rain. A makeup date and time has yet to be determined.

Adams was traveling back to Iowa from the southwest after touring the campus of the University of Arizona with her daughter, Jalen, who recently committed to the Wildcats for softball. Adams is expected to return to the team on Tuesday.

Maeleena Meyer was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored out of the No. 9 spot in the order, and six other Dodgers recorded a hit. Five others drove in at least one run.

“We had a good night,” FDSH assistant coach Nick Vinson said. “I thought the girls came out and attacked in the first. We kind of let off the gas there after before putting it on again late (in the first game).

“I wish we could have ended that one earlier just to try and get the second one completed.”

Grace Nichols had a double, as did Lucy Porter, Cadence Touney and Ashlyn Wills. Nichols, a freshman, drove in a pair.

Porter earned the win, striking out six over six innings with three hits allowed to improve to 7-2 on the year and 74-26 in her Dodger career.

“Lucy did a nice job,” Vinson said. “She’s still building up her stamina so it was probably good for her to go six innings.”

Wills was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Hope Alstott stole two bases, scored a run and drove in another. Fort Dodge scored six runs in the first inning, adding one in the fifth before ending it with two in the sixth with two outs on the board.

Before the second game was halted, Nichols drove in two. Ellie Doster, Meah McCaleb and Porter all added an RBI. Hope Alstott scored twice with a stolen base, and Aubrey Alstott had four strikeouts inside the circle.

Next action for the Dodgers will be Tuesday night when they head to Estherville to face No. 8 (2A) Estherville-Lincoln Central at the Iowa Lakes field. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

FORT DODGE 9, DES MOINES EAST 1 (6 inn.)

DM East 010 000 — 1 3 4

Fort Dodge 600 012 — 9 9 0

WP–Lucy Porter (7-2, 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB). LP–Margo Martin (5 ? IP, 9 H, 8 ER, 0 K, 2 BB).

HR–DME: Nevaeh Ousley-Lee. 2B–DME: Brooklinn Purdy; FD: Grace Nichols, Cadence Touney, Lucy Porter, Ashlyn Wills. RBI–DME: Nevaeh Ousley-Lee; FD: Grace Nichols (2), Ellie Doster, Cadence Touney, Maeleena Meyer (2), Ashlyn Wills, Hope Alstott. SB–FD: Ava Wessels, Ashlyn Wills, Hope Alstott (2), Emersyn Lara, Meah McCaleb.