Tournament title worth the trip for Fort Dodge softball

ALBURNETT - Traveling into uncharted territory, the Fort Dodge Dodgers headed for home Saturday afternoon as champions of the Linn-Mar/Alburnett Classic.

The Dodgers topped Waverly-Shell Rock, 9-2, in the final of the softball tournament on the strength of Mallory Kilion's pitching arm.

Going to the eastern part of the state was a treat for the Dodgers, Coach Andi Adams said.

'I like for us to be in this tournament,” Adams said. 'To play at different venues and different teams, it's nice to come over here and see this style of softball.”

Fort Dodge plays most of its games against Des Moines-area schools, and Adams said the opportunity to compete on some of Eastern Iowa diamonds was 'beautiful.”

Kilion led the way for the Dodgers, striking out nine batters in the final. Kilion's line had minor blemishes, allowing just four hits, two walks and two runs.

Adams said grueling practices prepare her team for these kinds of tournaments.

'We make practices ridiculously hard,” Adams said. 'We're very intense in practices, so when we have games like this it's easier for them to handle that kind of pressure.”

Kilion said the high-intensity practices are worth the pain and sweat when her team achieves results like a tournament championship.

'It helps us prepare, especially our defense,” said teammate Megan Hartman. 'She puts a lot of pressure on us, so it comes easier.”

Hartman was 3-for-4, all extra-base hits.

Adams said it was extremely important for the offense to be intense early in the game.

'When we put things into play and we get things going, that's when we become out best team,” Adams said. 'We've had a couple close games against Dowling and Johnston.”

Off-season training, Adams said, can be credited for the success of the season and Saturday's victory. The girls spend three to four days a week working on conditioning, she said.

'I use everybody in my lineup,” Adams said. 'And the fact we have so many kids of equal talent really does help because they push each other and they're constantly fighting for position.”

Cedar Rapids Xavier defeated Linn-Mar, 12-0, in the third-place game. Other placing winners were Bettendorf (fifth), Alburnett (seventh), Cedar Rapids Kennedy (ninth), Northeast (11th), Vinton-Shellsburg (13th) and Monticello (15th).