FORT DODGE — The Marshalltown baseball team surrendered five home runs over the course of a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Fort Dodge, falling 13-3 and 11-5 to the host Dodgers on Wednesday night at McNeil Field.

The Bobcats (4-8, 1-5) battled back to within 6-5 of Fort Dodge during the second game before the Dodgers (11-2, 4-0) scored five unearned runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to regain control and eventually the Iowa Alliance Conference North Division sweep.

Marshalltown reduced its self-inflicted damage by committing only three errors over the twinbill, but one costly mistake prolonged Fort Dodge’s at-bat in the sixth inning of game two. After relief pitcher Luke Stalzer struck out the first two Dodgers he faced, Reggie Pederson ripped a two-out double and Jaxson Dencklau reached on an error that allowed the Dodgers to score. Jalen Logsdon came on to pitch and walked the first two batters before surrendering three straight hits as Fort Dodge fought off Marshalltown’s late challenge.

The Bobcats trailed 6-0 after four innings before scoring twice in the fifth and three times in the sixth.

Maximus Leger led off the fifth with a walk and eventually scored on a double-steal. Logsdon came around on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.

In the sixth, four walks and a single helped the Bobcats chase Fort Dodge relief pitcher Bennett Nekvinda, and Logsdon greeted Dencklau with a run-scoring single. Dencklau got out of the jam with a pick-off and a strikeout, and the Dodgers rode the momentum to five runs in their next at-bat.

Tru McBride earned the win for Fort Dodge, allowing two runs on just one hit but six walks while striking out nine in five innings. Kolton Schiltz was 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a three-run homer to lead the Dodgers.

Quinn McLeod went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Logsdon had the Bobcats’ only other hit in the nightcap.

“In Game 1, we struggled defensively to make plays when we needed them the most and got in too big of a hole to climb out of,” said MHS head coach Colton Hanke. “In Game 2, we battled back … but couldn’t close out the frame with minimal damage. We’re proud of how the guys battled back.”

James Miron took the loss in the second game, allowing six runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out five.

In the opening game, McBride went 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and four runs scored to lead the Dodgers to the 13-3, six-inning win. William McElroy pitched all six frames, allowing three runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out eight.

Marshalltown got its three runs in the top of the fifth, fighting back from a 10-0 deficit with six hits in the frame. McLeod laced a two-run triple to drive in Treyton Gilliland and Kinnick Niedermann, and Miron followed with an RBI double.

Santiago Mora followed with a sacrifice bunt attempt that backfired before Logsdon singled and Garrett Thede doubled. Baserunning errors proved costly in the late surge for MHS, which totaled eight hits in the opening game. Logsdon and Aiden Holmgren had two hits apiece.

Gilliland got the loss for MHS, allowing four runs in the first inning. Paxson Reece-Miller gave up three runs in an inning of relief and Thede tossed the final three frames, allowing six runs — two earned — while striking out two.

Fort Dodge pitching piled up 20 strikeouts in the doubleheader sweep of Marshalltown, while the Dodgers totaled 15 extra-base hits to run their series streak to 12-straight wins.

Marshalltown is on the road again Thursday with a 3:30 p.m. twinbill at Des Moines Roosevelt.