Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Meah McCaleb of Fort Dodge stretches to try and force an out at third base against Adel-ADM on Monday in the state tournament at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Andi Adams compared Monday’s quarterfinal to a heavyweight prize fight.

The fifth-seeded Fort Dodge softball squad and fourth-seeded Adel-ADM went five-plus scoreless innings before the first run of the game crossed the plate.

In the end, the Tigers rode their ace, Lauren Hagedorn, to a 2-0 victory and a spot in the Class 4A state semifinal round.

“From where we were at the beginning of the season to now, this team became a force that wanted to win,” Adams said of her Dodgers. “I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”

Fort Dodge (30-13 overall) will now meet Western Dubuque (30-10) in Tuesday’s consolation round. The Bobcats lost to No. 1 North Polk on Monday, 7-2.

First pitch is set for 12:45 p.m. on Dodger Field.

ADM will play the top-rated Comets (37-4) on Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. on Iowa Central Field (Diamond 2) in a 4A semifinal showdown between Raccoon River Conference rivals.

In a rematch of last year’s quarterfinals, where the Dodgers earned an 8-3 victory, it was ADM who came up with two late runs to exact revenge.

“It was two dogs going at it — just like a heavyweight boxing match,” Adams said. “But you can’t win with zero runs. And at the end when I sent Maeleena (Meyer), we had to try to get something going and score.

“The kids were dialed in. We fought back, got knocked down and fought back again.”

Hagedorn led off the sixth with a single and advanced to second. Courtesy runner Lauryn Troster later broke the scoring ice on an Ellis Smith RBI single. Madi James came home with the final run on an Aleah Johnson sacrifice fly.

“The one (Hagedorn) that we knew we had to beat — beat us,” Adams said. “When you have a player like her, it’s tough. You start walking her and then other kids start hitting.

“Our girls did their best. We want to be as good as ADM, but we’re not there yet. They have five seniors and they came to play.”

The Dodgers threatened in the top of the seventh. Junior Meah McCaleb singled and Meyer tried to make it home to get FDSH on the board. Instead, the Tigers (30-9) used a perfect relay throw to cut her down at the plate and end the contest.

Fort Dodge had an opportunity in the sixth as well with bases loaded and two out after back-to-back singles from freshmen Hope Alsott and Ellie Doster. Ashlyn Wills walked to load the bases before the Tigers ended the threat.

“We had to have things go our way,” Adams said. “Hagedorn came in on our hitters and we had to swing.

“We thought we had everything lined up, but they executed. Credit to them.”

The Dodgers squashed a Tiger threat in the fifth as well with the bases loaded and one out. Junior Lucy Porter dove for a ball for the second out, and earned a strikeout to end the threat.

It was a pitchers’ duel, as Porter and Hagedorn went toe-to-toe for most of the evening without any flinching.

“We have overcome a lot and learned a lot with many new players in new positions this season,” Porter said. “We adjusted and played the best we could.

“It’s definitely not the outcome we wanted, but we still had a very good game.”

Porter (19-11) — a Minnesota State recruit — gave up six hits and one earned run. She walked one and struck out six. Hagedorn allowed four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Porter had a phenomenal effort in the field, turning a double play in the fourth to cut a runner down at third and nearly completing two other double plays.

“Lucy was absolutely phenomenal,” Adams said. “That kid was devastated. She wanted to win for her team and her community.

“She was money. She did everything she could.”

Hagedorn caused damage at the plate, where she was 2-for-2 with a double. Cameran Smith also had a double.

McCaleb, Hope Alstott, Doster and Aubrey Alstott had hits for FDSH. Hope Alstott reached base in all three appearances, being hit by a pitch and a walk.

“We want to go out with a win (Tuesday) now,” Adams said. “Not many teams can say that. We will do all we can in our power. I’m very proud of these girls.”

The Dodgers will look to end their seventh straight tournament with a win against Western Dubuque.

“It’s the state tournament. No game is going to be easy,” Porter said. (Tuesday) is just something we have to get done for ourselves to complete the season. Then we’ll be back.”

ADM 2, FORT DODGE 0

Fort Dodge 000 000 0 — 0 4 3

ADM 000 002 x — 2 6 1

WP–Lauren Hagedorn (7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO); LP–Lucy Porter (6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO); LOB–Fort Dodge 7, ADM 7; 2B–ADM: Hagedorn, Cameran Smith; HBP–Hope Alstott, Aubrey Alstott, Ashlyn Wills; ADM: Olivia Wyant, Madi James; SACF–ADM: Aleah Johnson; SACB–ADM: Kaylee Smith; SB–FD: Hope Alstott; RBI–ADM: Ellis Smith, Aleah Johnson.