The tiny slip-ups or terrible habits Fort Dodge was capable to get away with in the course of the very first week and a half of the baseball season had nowhere to hide in the course of Friday’s doubleheader at McNeil Field against Waukee.
Dodger head coach Blake Utley admits that was by design and style.
Right after winning six of their very first seven games to start out the 2023 campaign, Fort Dodge was held in verify by the Warriors yesterday evening as the guests swept by scores of ten-three and eight-1.
Utley wanted to make confident his squad got a really feel for the deep finish ahead of Monday’s Iowa Alliance Conference Northern Division opener at residence against Mason City. Right after taking care of company against Des Moines Hoover, Hampton-Dumont/CAL, Des Moines North and splitting with Waterloo East, the degree of difficulty changed in a hurry versus Waukee.
“We necessary to make confident we’d see a genuinely strong opponent prior to (this coming week, beginning with the Riverhawks),” Utley mentioned. “No disrespect to the teams we’d faced so far, but when we had been generating the schedule, we knew we had to also face (a plan) that would inform us exactly where we necessary to get much better.
“Sometimes, when you get away with issues and nevertheless win large, you get a false sense of exactly where you are basically at as a ballclub. It is an significant reminder of exactly where we genuinely are and the locations we want to operate on. Early on (in a season), you are having continual feedback from an opponent. It makes it possible for for a much better all round image of exactly where you genuinely stand.”
The Warriors (five-four all round) plated 4 runs to take early manage of the opener in the prime of the third inning. The Dodgers (six-three) responded with a two-run single by senior Dalton Rosalez in the bottom half of the frame, but Waukee opened the floodgates with a 5-run fourth.
4 of the runs FDSH pitchers Landen Grandors and Nathan Beekman surrendered had been unearned following errors, and the duo issued 4 walks, had 3 wild pitches and hit a batter.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers gave themselves a lot of probabilities at the plate — with 5 hits and seven walks — but they stranded nine runners, such as seven in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings combined without the need of scoring.
The nightcap was extra of the exact same. Waukee jumped ahead five- early, but Fort Dodge was on the cusp of seizing momentum various occasions. Alternatively, the Dodgers left the bases loaded in each the third and the fifth with the tying run at the plate.
“It was type of the story of our evening,” Utley mentioned. “I know folks will see the scores and consider we weren’t genuinely in it, but we could have been. We had a lot of runners on, but credit the (Warrior) pitchers for placing out the fires.”
Rosalez had two hits in the second contest. Sophomore Rylan Kingrey doubled, as did sophomore Jase Nekvinda.
Nekvinda and juniors Jace Johnson and Karch Smith roped doubles in the opener.
Freshman Jaxson Dencklau was impressive in relief, functioning 3• innings prior to Waukee lastly got to him with 3 runs in the seventh.
“Jaxson did a excellent job. Genuinely, all of our pitchers had their moments (of achievement),” Utley mentioned. “We got burned by some blunders in the field, some baserunning (miscues), and occasions exactly where we just didn’t execute at a higher adequate level to count on to beat a group like (the Warriors). When you give a excellent ballclub further outs, it tends to snowball on you.
“This is exactly where you lean on your seniors and extra knowledgeable guys, and make confident you discover from (the physical or mental errors). Even (in defeat), it is an chance for us to get much better from it.”
Fort Dodge was without the need of the solutions of sophomore Royce Pederson and junior Drew Moritz, who are each nursing injuries.
The Dodgers square off with Mason City for a Memorial Day doubleheader back at McNeil Field. Very first pitch is set for 1 p.m.
WAUKEE ten, FORT DODGE three
Waukee 003 501 — ten ten 1
Fort Dodge 002 000 1 — three five three
WP–Colin Driscoll (four IP, four H, two R, two ER, two BB, five K) LP–Landen Grandors (four IP, 9 R, six ER, three BB, three K). 2B–FD: Jase Nekvinda, Karch Smith. 3B–W: Grant Sorensen. SB–W: Carter Johnson, Connor Macalpine, Hunter Reed.
WAUKEE eight, FORT DODGE 1
Waukee 311 000 three — eight 9 two
Fort Dodge 001 000 — 1 five two
WP–Nate Danielson (four IP, three H, 1 R, 1 ER, two BB, eight K) LP–Landen Hout (two.two IP, five H, five R, four ER, 1 BB, three K). 2B–FD: Jase Nekvinda, Rylan Kingrey W: Grant Sorensen, Colin Driscoll. 3B–W: Conner Macalpine. HR–W: Brady Eklund. SB–W: Grant Sorensen two, Carter Johnson, Conner Macalpine.
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