Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Cal Pederson of Fort Dodge stretches to make a catch against Sioux City West on Friday at McNeil Field. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

A busy section of the the Fort Dodge baseball team’s season resumed here on Friday.

Taking to the McNeil Field natural grass for the second time in five days this week, head coach Blake Utley’s Dodgers managed an afternoon split against a pair of Missouri River Athletic Conference foes.

FDSH rolled past Sioux City West 13-5 in the nightcap of a sun-splashed day after a 7-2 loss to third-ranked Sioux City East.

Fort Dodge used a pair of two-hit efforts from the senior/sophomore duo of Royce Pederson and Tru McBride to help bolster four multiple-run frames versus the Wolverines. Pederson sent a rocket over the right field ivy to aid in his resplendent four-run scored outing.

McBride scored twice and drove in three to enable Utley’s crew to lock up their ninth win.

“It’s nice to end the week with a victory,” Utley said. “We were a little sluggish at times in the game defensively, and we trotted out some guys who usually don’t pitch much. Our offense came through, though, giving us a good early lead.”

Freshman Cael Adams made the most of his first career start. He went four innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out four.

Game one saw a strong-hitting Black Raider crew push their win skein to 13. The visitors jumped out to a 5-0 lead through five and a half frames due to their plate punch and the strong starting pitching of junior Bohdy Colling.

Colling surrendered only two hits and struck out seven Dodgers, while junior shortstop Cal Jepsen and sophomore outfielder Chris Ford each delivered two-hit outings along with Colling.

FDSH did put together a comeback bid late, as senior outfielder Rylan Kingrey hit a laser over the left field wall in the sixth, and the Dodgers had the bases loaded in the seventh.

However, the East bullpen closed the door with three strikeouts to thwart the potential threat.

“We gave them too many strikes,” Utley noted. “You cannot give a team like that extra many chances.

“I was happy to see us rally back in the final two innings. Playing the type of schedule we have will continue to give us more and more confidence as we enter late June and early July.”

The Dodgers begin a span of seven contests in five days back at home on Monday. Ames (9-8, 6-0) comes to town as the Iowa Alliance Conference leader for a 5 p.m. doubleheader.

SC EAST 7, FORT DODGE 2

SC East 010 301 2 — 7 9 1

FDSH 000 001 1 — 2 3 2

WP — Colling. LP — Royce Pederson. 2B — Lyncoln McCaffrey, Jepsen. HR — Rylan Kingrey.

FORT DODGE 13, SC WEST 5

SC West 010 111 1 — 5 9 4

FDSH 304 042 x — 13 8 5

WP — Cael Adams. LP — Chance Riley. 2B — Carter Adam, Kolton Schiltz. HR — Royce Pederson.