Parker leaves J-Hawks feeling empty

FORT DODGE - For Hannah Parker, baserunners just added to the challenge.

'I do really good under pressure,” said the pitcher from Southeast Polk. 'It motivates me more. I just think, ‘I've got to get this girl out - now.'”

For the Jefferson J-Hawks, baserunners only added to the disappointment.

Parker sidestepped landmines galore, and third-ranked Southeast Polk finally broke through late to defeat No. 6 Jefferson, 2-0, in a Class 5A quarterfinal at the state softball tournament Tuesday afternoon at the Rogers Sports Complex.

The J-Hawks stranded 11 runners, including 10 in the first four innings.

'We just didn't come through when we needed to,” said Jefferson catcher Maddie Hansen, who reached base three times and collected two hits.

Southeast Polk (29-9) will face No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling in a semifinal at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The defending-champion Maroons (29-8) handled No. 7 Pleasant Valley, 4-1, Tuesday.

Throw in the other semifinal combantants - Johnston and West Des Moines Valley - and the 5A final four is an all-CIML dance for the second straight year.

Jefferson (34-7) could have crashed the party, but failed to capitalize when opportunity knocked.

'They took advantage of their opportunities and we couldn't,” said Jefferson's Katelyn Holub. 'That's what it came down to.”

The J-Hawks loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, then filled the bases again in the third, and had two runners aboard in the second and fourth frames.

Each time, Parker worked out of it. Each time, with strikeouts.

'When it gets tough like that, I either need a strikeout or an easy pop-up or grounder for my defense,” Parker said.

The Rams broke through in the sixth inning. Kali Lange led off with a double, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Markee Brown's single.

Jefferson center fielder Savannah Fowler made a good throw to the plate, but Lange beat it by a whisker.

Parker provided her own insurance in the seventh, driving in Shelby Uhl with a single.

After all those early threats, the J-Hawks couldn't muster another after they fell behind.

Jefferson (34-7) faces Pleasant Valley (30-9) in a consolation semifinal at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The fifth- and seventh-place games are at 2 p.m.

'It's not where we want to be, but we'll use it as a learning experience,” Jefferson Coach Brian Erbe said. 'We'll bounce back and play hard.

'Unfortunately, this was kind of a trend for us. We been stranding a lot of runners, and we haven't been executing our bunts.”

Southeast Polk collected 11 hits against Jefferson pitcher Alyssa Olson. The Rams stranded eight runners themselves in the first five innings before breaking through in the sixth.

SOUTHEAST POLK 2, C.R. JEFFERSON 0

Southeast Polk 000 001 1 - 2 11 1

C.R. Jefferson 000 000 0 - 0 7 2

Hannah Parker and Brooke French. Alyssa Olson and Maddie Hansen. W - Parker (18-3). L - Olson (17-6),

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