Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

FORT DODGE – Clear Creek Amana got the strong start it was looking for in its state tournament opener on Monday.

The Clippers just couldn’t get the finish they were seeking.

After Clear Creek Amana scored two runs in the top of the first inning third-ranked Fort Dodge responded with 12 unanswered runs on its way to a 12-2 four-inning win over the Clippers in a Class 4A state quarterfinal at Harlan Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.

“We just had to do what we do,” Fort Dodge coach Andi Adams said. “We’ve had people score on us, it’s the state tournament it’s going to happen, you are going to be nervous and I knew that’s what it was but I know what our team can do.”

Seventh-ranked Clear Creek Amana (31-12) had a six-game winning streak snapped with the loss and will face eighth-ranked North Polk (20-17) in an elimination game on Tuesday at 2:45 p.m.

Fort Dodge (39-4) face second-ranked Carlisle (34-5) in a 4A semifinal on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Carlisle defeated North Polk 3-2 in a quarterfinal on Monday.

“We stayed positive the whole time,” Clear Creek Amana co-head coach Sammy Moss said. “We haven’t been here in five years and we had a great attitude.”

Clear Creek Amana jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Elizabeth Timmerman drew a lead off walk and following a sacrifice bunt by Brenna Williams moved to third on a wild pitch.

After Kyla Schulte drew a walk, Timmerman stole home on a well-executed first and third play that left Schulte safe at second.

After Lizzie Pasbrig drew the third walk of the inning for the Clippers junior second baseman Carley Nash gave the Clippers a 2-0 lead with a double off the left field fence that scored Schulte.

“We knew we had to score first,” Moss said. “We knew we had to come out hot offensively.”

Clear Creek Amana had a chance to add more in the first inning but Fort Dodge pitcher Aubrey Alstott got Caroline Klapperich to line out sharply to short and struck out Charlotte Trevino to end the inning.

“It definitely could have been more, I thought it was going to be more,” Adams said. “We know Clear Creek can hit the ball but you just have to believe in your kids. Our kids are hard to rattle.”

Fort Dodge bounced back immediately.

The Dodgers sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run first inning and repeated that feat in the second to take an 8-2 lead.

Fort Dodge entered the state tournament leading 4A in both team batting average and runs.

On Monday the Dodgers racked up 12 hits coming from eight different players while posting its third consecutive double digit win of the postseason.

“You don’t know what we are going to do (offensively), I don’t know what we are going to do,” Adams said. “Honest to god I read a defense and then I look at the situation, I look at the pitch, I look at the count and that’s what we are going to do and that’s just the way we’ve played ball year.”

Teryn Rippentrop had three hits and scored three runs while Alstott had three hits and drove in three runs for the Dodgers.

Seven different Fort Dodge players had an RBI.

“Going in we knew we were going to have to play defense,” Moss said. “We knew with them offensively our defense was going to have to play hard and play to our top level the whole time.”

After walking three and allowing the two runs in the first inning Alstott settled in and tossed three consecutive scoreless innings.

Alstott allowed just two runs on one hit while striking out four and walking five.

Kynlee McElvain took the loss for the Clippers allowing eight runs on eight hits in two innings.

Clear Creek Amana              200  0  –  2  1  1

Fort Dodge                             440  4  –  12  12  1

W – Aubrey Alstott                            L – Kynlee McElvain

2B – CCA: Carley Nash.

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