Down 5-2 going into the 6th inning, the sixth-ranked (Class 4A) Dodgers scored twice in each of the final two frames to stun No. 3 (5A) West Des Moines Valley in the season opener for both squads at Rogers Park Tuesday night.

Freshman Macy Wills capped the pressure-packed rally by drilling a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 6-5 victory.

After the comeback, Adams was presented flowers and balloons by her players, assistants and parents to celebrate the milestone victory. She was still trying to process it all afterward.

“I don’t know how to explain what just happened,” said Adams, who now has 853 total career wins. “We are starting four freshmen and sophomores who are young and full of energy.

Messenger photo by John McBride: The Fort Dodge softball squad gathers with head coach Andi Adams on Tuesday night at Rogers Park after her 800th victory.

“They don’t know they’re not supposed to do these things in moments like this.”

Despite being one of those freshmen thrust into the fray, Wills said she was just focused on what she had to do as she came to the plate after her squad had just tied the game at 5.

“I knew all I needed to do was be there for my team. I was looking for a hit up the middle,” said Wills, who hadn’t hit a varsity homer before Tuesday. “I wasn’t hitting the greatest at the beginning of the game, but I knew I had to make contact there as hard as I could.

“As a freshman I didn’t think I could do something like that, but I proved to myself I can.”

The Dodgers were down 5-2 heading to the bottom of the sixth and standout Valley pitcher Maddison Zlomke was cruising, retiring 14 straight batters.

Senior Teryn Rippentrop gave the Dodgers life with a bunt single to start the sixth. She moved to second on a sacrifice, then junior Ellie Doster pulled the Dodgers with 5-4 with a gigantic two-run home run that was at least five rows deep into the center-field bleachers.

Another freshman, Meg Marsh, singled with one out in the seventh and raced all the way from first to third when pinch-hitter Grace Nichols hit a slow roller to the third baseman.

Marsh then knotted the score when she raced home after a wild pitch.

Wills belted her home run a few seconds later, sending the Dodger dugout onto the field in celebration.

“Ellie’s hit was so huge for us, too,” said Adams. “She had struck out in her last at bat and she gets super mad at herself. I just told to let it go because she would be up again and could do something.

“That was a no-doubter. The center fielder didn’t even move.”

Fort Dodge used some incredible defensive plays to stay in the contest early, even after the Dodgers had surrendered a 2-0 lead. The Tigers got a three-run double from London Roe in the top of the second to take a 3-2 lead and eventually went up 4-2.

It could have been more if not for a sliding catch by Marsh in left to end the inning and strand two runners.

Marsh made another diving grab for the first out of the third, and Wills saved a run in the fourth when she snagged a grounder at third, spun around and threw out a runner at the plate.

Sophomore pitcher Sydney Carver ended a Valley threat in the sixth after the Tigers had scored a run when she caught a liner in the circle and doubled off a Valley runner at first.

Carver got the win for the Dodgers in relief of starter and classmate Aubrey Alstott. Carver came on in the third inning and left a runner on third base. She allowed just a single run in the sixth.

The Dodgers bolted out of the gate in the first, scoring twice thanks in large part to an RBI double from Doster. But Zlomke then retired the final two batters in the first and set Fort Dodge down in order in the next four frames.

“I’m just so proud of them,” said Adams. “They believe in each other and that’s the key. The players have bought in, the coaches have bought in, the parents have bought in.

“Our saying this year is, ‘We’re still here.’ We are still relevant, and teams better watch out.”

The Dodgers are at Sioux City North for a twinbill on Friday. Those games were supposed to be their season opener Monday night, but rain forced a postponement.

FORT DODGE 6, WDM VALLEY 5

Valley 041 001 0 — 5 7 1

Fort Dodge 200 002 2 — 6 7 4

Maddison Zlomke and Ilsa Hervey, Aubrey Alstott, Sydney Carver (3) and Ellie Doster.

2B–Valley: Lily Finn, Isla Brower, FD: Doster. 3B–Valley: Roe. HR–FD: Doster, Macy Wills. SB–FD: Teryn Rippentrop, Emersyn Lara. S–Valley: Brynn Cibula, Jordyn Huffman, Brower, FD: Hope Alstott.

DP–Fort Dodge. T–2:01.