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Photo by David Borer: Fort Dodge’s Kolton Schiltz slides into second base with a steal as Matthew Tesdahl of Webster City tries to apply the tag on Tuesday night.

WEBSTER CITY — Blake Utley and his staff can smile about it now, but Royce Pederson’s struggles at the plate were no laughing matter heading into his senior season.

“He’d been working really hard, but didn’t have much to show for it (offensively before 2025),” said Utley, the Fort Dodge baseball coach. “Even as a junior last summer, he was hitting in the low-.200s at one point and we were trying to figure out what we could do to get his confidence up.

“I don’t think he’s just surprised our staff — he’s surprised all of America. It’s one of the better stories we’ve had here in a while. Royce has just been a joy to watch, especially knowing how far he’s come and seeing him be able to get this much out of his (plate appearances) after going so long without seeing results.”

Pederson had four hits in as many at-bats here on Tuesday as the Dodgers posted a 13-2 victory over Webster City to put an exclamation point on the regular season.

The left-hander was a career .222 hitter before the 2025 campaign began, even spending some time in the junior varsity lineup last year to regain his hitting stroke. Pederson has done nothing but produce at the dish as a senior, though, becoming the first FDSH player to reach the 50-hit plateau in a single season since Sam Kolacia in 2016.

Pederson’s current .431 batting average is the program’s best since Austin Halligan (.448 in 2015).

“He’s made some tweaks here and there of course, but it’s mostly just confidence,” Utley said. “Royce and his dad (FDSH assistant and former Dodger all-stater and Triton head coach) Rick (Pederson) put in a lot of time through the years, but especially this past offseason. That’s the one thing we’re seeing from our top hitters: no shortcuts. They’re the guys who were in the weight room and the cage the most (in the fall, winter and spring).

“With all that being said, if you’d told me even two months ago that Royce would be in this position at the end (of the regular season), I’m not sure I would have completely believed it. He’s taken things to a whole new level.”

Fort Dodge (26-13 overall) jumped ahead early with four runs in the first inning and two more in the second. After the Lynx (12-16) pulled back within 6-2 in the fourth, the Dodgers responded with five insurance runs in the final two frames.

Pederson drove in three runs. Fellow senior Rylan Kingrey was 2-for-2 with four runs scored, with freshman Reggie Pederson and eighth-grader Hayden Porter both driving in a pair.

Freshman Cael Adams gave the Dodgers a sparkling start with three hitless innings. Reggie Pederson and sophomore Mason Frevert finished the game on the mound.

“We did exactly what we needed to do from the start,” Utley said. “Cael did an outstanding job, throwing as a freshman with a lot of confidence. And our defense was solid behind our pitchers.

“We just kept putting pressure on them and did the little things right, which is the name of the game. But it’s so good to see our seniors continue to step up and lead both by example and with their production.”

Aiden Hrnicek had a two-run double for Webster City.

The Dodgers now turn their attention to Mason City (24-12), as the rivals meet for a fifth time this season on Friday in a Class 4A substate quarterfinal at McNeil Field. Fort Dodge is 3-1 so far this year against the Riverhawks.

FORT DODGE 13, WEBSTER CITY 2

Fort Dodge 420 202 3 — 13 9 0

Webster City 000 200 0 — 2 2 4

WP–Cael Adams (3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K). 2B–FD: Royce Pederson, Davis Underberg; WC: Aiden Hrnicek. SB–FD: Kolton Schiltz, Rylan Kingrey; WC: Matthew Tesdahl 2, Aiden Hrnicek, Brady Asklund.