Photo by Iowa Central Athletics: George McIntyre connects for Iowa Central at Rogers Park.

Offense, and plenty of it, bolstered Iowa Central in its 2026 home-opening baseball series at Rogers Park.

Taking on Sauk Valley Community of Illinois in a set that was put together the week prior due to a spring-like forecast in Fort Dodge, head coach Eric Stein’s squad ran their record to 4-0 with a 7-0 and 16-2 sweep Saturday.

An attempt to move to 5-0 was foiled by the visiting Skyhawks on Sunday behind an 11-run rally over the last four frames in an 18-17 contest.

Several individual highlights developed from the series victory. In game one, the sophomore duo of Carter Giesen and Sean Stewart limited SVCC to only two hits. Giesen K’ed eight over a superb five-inning start.

Two more second-year standouts provided plenty of power. Outfielder Bryson Carpenter crushed a home run as part of a two-hit, three-RBI effort, and Mitch Seykora also homered and drove in a pair of runs.

Game two was nip-and-tuck early, as ICCC led 4-2 after three. A 12-run fourth put the game out of reach, though.

Each of the first five batters in Stein’s lineup produced multiple-hit totals in the five-inning win. Sophomore George McIntyre and Sawyer Stein tallied three hits each, with Stein sending an opposing pitch out of Stark Family Field.

Carpenter added to his game one numbers with two long balls and four RBI.

Sophomore starter Maddux Gast was able to go into cruise control on the bump with three solid innings, and the bullpen surrendered only one hit over the last two visiting plate appearances.

Sunday’s finale saw plenty of runs for a large crowd on hand. Sauk Valley homered twice over the first three innings to lead 4-1, but the Triton bats answered with four in their half of the third for a 5-4 edge.

Iowa Central continued to hold the advantage through five at 7-6, but SVCC put up seven in the sixth, two in the eighth and two in the ninth. That attack survived a furious final at-bat rally by the home side, as they plated five and had the tying and winning runs in scoring position. A pair of groundouts ended it, though.

McIntyre and Stein led the way for a second straight game at the dish. McIntyre homered and drove in four. Stein began the game with a single, double and triple, eyeing a home run over his final three plate appearances but was quashed in his cycle attempt.

Stein drove in three and scored three times.

Iowa Central (5-1 overall) traveled to Southwestern in Creston on Tuesday. The Tritons then continue a four-game road with a visit to Black Hawk Community College in the Quad Cities area Saturday and Sunday.

A six-game home stand opens Feb. 27 and 28, as Mott Community College of Michigan comes to Fort Dodge.