Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Fort Dodge senior Rylan Kingrey tracks down a fly ball on Tuesday against Des Moines Lincoln at McNeil Field. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

After Fort Dodge’s doubleheader split with Des Moines Lincoln on Tuesday night, Blake Utley stressed the importance of being ready every day, every game.

The Dodgers (19-10 overall) dropped a 4-3 contest in 10 innings to the Railsplitters (4-20) to open the evening, but came back strong with an 11-1 win in the nightcap.

“I think we got a little bit ahead of ourselves,” Utley said. “We’ve had some success recently (winning four straight) and we just started coasting after scoring early (in game one).

“I think that loss humbled us a little.”

Fort Dodge took an early 3-0 edge with a three-run third, but the Rails held the Dodgers scoreless for the next seven innings.

Lincoln scored two in the fourth and kept the game alive with a single tally in the seventh inning. They then plated the go-ahead run in the 10th.

Cal Pederson, Bo Marsh, Royce Pederson, Tru McBride and Jaxson Dencklau had hits in the opener. Royce Pederson, Dencklau and Reggie Pederson all drove in runs for FDSH.

The three Dodger pitchers — Royce Pederson, Rylan Kingrey and Dencklau — combined for 14 strikeouts.

“We had to challenge them a little after that,” Utley said. “I know these are 15, 16, 17 and 18-year-old young men and it’s hard to stay focused every day, but we have to be better than we were (early on).”

Fort Dodge came out strong in the nightcap, scoring two runs each in the first two frames. They also had a five in the fourth and two in the sixth.

Kingrey led the Dodgers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Marsh had two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs.

Kolton Schiltz and Cal Pederson added hits a piece. Dencklau had two RBI, while Schiltz, Royce Pederson, Hayden Porter and McBride each drove in a run.

Freshman Reggie Pederson got the start and gave up four hits, striking out four. McBride pitched an inning of relief as did Brayden Reimers.

“I thought our pitchers threw well in the second game,” Utley said. “Reggie was strong and Tru pitched well.

“It was great to see senior Brayden Reimers come out and also give us a strong inning.”

Schiltz, who was hit by a pitch twice in the Mason City doubleheader on Monday, got plunked two more times by Des Moines Lincoln and now leads the state (unofficially) with 22.

Fort Dodge is back in action on Wednesday when they host Marshalltown. The doubleheader originally scheduled for Thursday has been moved up due to potential rain. The game will be played at Rogers Park at Noon.

DM LINCOLN 4, FORT DODGE 3

DM Lincoln 000 200 100 1 — 4 10 3

Fort Dodge 003 000 000 0 — 3 5 2

RBI–FD: Royce Pederson, Jaxson Dencklau, Reggie Pederson.

FORT DODGE 11, DM LINCOLN 1

DM Lincoln 000 100 — 1 5 2

Fort Dodge 220 502 — 11 7 2

WP–Reggie Pederson (3-0, 4 IP, 1 ER, 4 SO); 2B–FD: Bo Marsh. Multiple hits–FD: Rylan Kingrey (3), Marsh (2); RBI–FD: Marsh (3), Kingrey (2), McBride (2), Royce Pederson, Hayden Porter, Cal Pederson.