Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Fort Dodge's Hope Alstott slides safely under the tag against Des Moines Roosevelt on Wednesday at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

It wasn’t the start to Wednesday night’s doubleheader that Andi Adams had hoped to see, but it did open her eyes to something else.

The third-ranked (Class 4A) Fort Dodge softball team (13-2 overall) trailed 4-0 after one half of an inning of the opener at Rogers Park. The Dodgers didn’t panic, though, as Adams’ saw her ballclub dig deep and pull out a 10-5 victory before rolling to a 10-4 nightcap triumph over No. 15 (5A) Des Moines Roosevelt.

“We got punched in the mouth,” Adams said. “We came right out and punched back. They are a good squad that has beaten some good teams. They knocked off Valley (2-1 on Saturday in West Des Moines) — that tells you something.

“That’s what I love about this team, there is no quit.”

The Dodgers, who have been pitching by committee sometimes this season, didn’t as much on Wednesday. Adams stuck with starter Aubrey Alstott (7-0), who buckled down and shut the Roughriders down the rest of the way after the inauspicious beginning.

“She wanted the ball,” Adams said. “The runs weren’t her fault and we told her we would get the runs back and this team did that.”

Alstott gave up four hits in the first frame, but allowed only two hits in the final six with two strikeouts and zero walks. All five of the Roosevelt (10-5) runs were unearned.

Fort Dodge put up a four-spot in the third, taking the lead on a two-run homer from Grace Nichols. Nichols finished the contest with two hits and three RBI.

Dodger senior Teryn Rippentrop had a big effort at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Emersyn Lara was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs.

Hope Alstott and Ellie Doster had two hits each. Lara drove in two, while Macy Wills and Doster added RBI.

Lara, Alstott and Calliegh Zimmermann each ripped doubles.

The Dodgers, who have now won five straight, got the lead early in the nightcap but trailed 3-2 after three.

Fort Dodge then took a 6-3 advantage after four, and tacked on four insurance runs in the sixth.

The Dodgers used two pitchers in the nightcap. Sydney Carver went 3.1 innings, and Lara came in to pitch the final 3.2. Lara gave up only one hit and kept the Roughriders guessing with her changeup.

“Emersyn’s change is nasty, and it was working (on Wednesday),” Adams said. “She threw it a lot and threw it for strikes.”

Doster had another home run, hitting a line drive shot to dead center for a two-run bomb. She added two more hits in the nightcap, and is now batting over .600 with seven long balls.

It was another strong contest for Nichols, as the sophomore slugger doubled and drove in three on two hits. Rippentrop added two more hits.

Hope Alstott and Wills drove in a run.

The young Dodger squad has had a strong start at the plate, reaching the Top-5 in a number of categories. Doster is second in 4A with 35 RBI, second in average (.621) and second in homers. Rippentrop leads 4A in singles (25). Alstott is tied for second in triples with four.

As a squad, Fort Dodge is first in batting average, tied for second in home runs (14), leads in RBI (147), is second in runs (169) and first in on-base percentage for 4A.

Clara Page, the daughter of 1998 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Nick Page, had two hits in the nightcap, including a solo home run. Page is already a two-time all-state performer at the 5A level despite being just a junior.

The Dodgers are back in action on Thursday at Waterloo East for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

FORT DODGE 10, DM ROOSEVELT 5

Roosevelt 400 000 1 — 5 6 1

Fort Dodge 104 005 x — 10 14 2

WP–Aubrey Alstott (7-0, 7IP, 6H, 5R, 0ER, 2SO, 0BB); 2B–DMR: Hailey Burriola; 3B–DMR: Burriola; FD: Emersyn Lara, Hope Alstott, Calliegh Zimmermann; HR–FD: Grace Nichols; Multiple hits–DMR: Burriola (2); FD: Rippentrop (3), Lara (3), Alstott (2), Ellie Doster (2), Nichols (2); Multiple RBI–DMR: Burriola (2); FD: Nichols (3), Lara (2); HBP–FD: Alstott; SB–FD: Maeleena Meyer, Brooklyn Gilliland; CS–FD: Macy Wills.

FORT DODGE 10, DM ROOSEVELT 4

Roosevelt 003 000 1 — 4 9 2

Fort Dodge 202 204 x — 10 10 0

WP–Sydney Carver (6-1, 3.2IP, 8H, 3R, 3 ER, 1SO, 0BB); 2B–DMR: Kennedy Malloy; FD: Grace Nichols; HR–DMR: Clara Page; FD: Ellie Doster; Multiple hits–DMR: Page (2), Sloane Swanson (2); FD: Teryn Rippentrop (2), Nichols (2); Multiple RBI–FD: Nichols (3), Doster (2); HBP–FD: Doster; SB–FD: Hope Alstott.