'Tough' split for Jeff, West

By Jason Brummond

Correspondent

IOWA CITY - Hannah Petersen's senior season couldn't have started better Tuesday night.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson's all-state pitcher threw a one-hit shutout in the season-opener and later hit a three-run home run as the Class 5A No. 8 J-Hawks split a doubleheader with No. 5 Iowa City West.

Jefferson earned a 1-0 victory in a tight first game between teams that were Class 4A regional finalists last season. The Trojans had 10 hits to win the second game, 7-3.

“They were very tough,” said Jefferson Coach Larry Niemeyer, starting his 53rd softball season. “It's good to get some of the tough ones out of the way early.”

The J-Hawks rallied with two outs and nobody on in the fifth inning to break the scoreless tie in a pitcher's dual between Petersen and West's Mackenzie Laux.

Maddie Koolbeck drew a two-out walk to start that inning. That was the first base runner allowed by Laux, who retired the 14 hitters she faced. Peterson was hit by a pitch as she tried to duck under a high ball to put runners on first and second.

No. 8 hitter Carson Burgart drove in the run with Jefferson's first hit off Laux.

Petersen was even better. The left-hander stuck out seven and made some clutch pitches late. She stranded a runner on third base in the fifth inning.

The Trojans leadoff hitter reached base in the sixth and seventh innings, but Petersen didn't allow them to advance past second base.

“She pitched out of it,” Niemeyer said. “That's what good pitchers do. Hannah pitched very well tonight.”

In the second game, the Trojans scored three runs in each of the first two innings.

West pitcher Shelly Stumpff scattered seven hits over seven innings.

Junior Lauren Larson went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs for the Trojans.

Jefferson rallied with three runs in the fourth on Petersen's homer down the right-field line. The J-Hawks loaded the bases in the sixth with two outs but couldn't score again off Stumpff.