Hansen knocks in 6; J-Hawks sweep

CEDAR RAPIDS -- QuikStats has it H-A-N-S-O-N.

The game program had it H-A-N-S-E-N.

"Everybody seems to spell it different," Maddie Hansen said.

Let's make it simple and uniform. H-I-T-T-E-R.

Hansen drove in three runs in each game as Class 5A eighth-ranked Cedar Rapids Jefferson handled Cedar Rapids Prairie, 9-4 and 8-1, in a Mississippi Valley Conference softball double-header Tuesday at the Jefferson Softball Complex.

"Maddie's going to be a good player," Jefferson Coach Larry Niemeyer said about the J-Hawks' freshman catcher. "She hit some shots tonight. Right now, she wants to pull everything. She's worked on her footwork."

Hansen was 4-for-7 Tuesday, upping her season average to .500 (9 of 18) with 11 RBIs.

"I didn't start off so well," she said. "I've taken a lot of cuts on my own. I didn't think I'd be batting third in the lineup. I knew I had to work hard to get a spot."

Jefferson (5-1 overall, 5-1 MVC) clubbed 12 hits in each game. Carson Burgart hit a three-run home run in the opener, then Hansen followed with a two-run shot.

"Our ability to hit good pitching, that's what is going to determine how good we are," Niemeyer said. "(Hannah Petersen) is a very good pitcher, and we usually play good defense."

Petersen (3-0) pitched five shutout, one-hit innings in the opener, retiring the first 11 batters she faced. In the nightcap, she moved to right field and drove in four runs.

After flying out to left field her first time up, leadoff batter Rachel Sedlacek reached base each of her last seven plate appearances and scored five runs.

Prairie slipped to 0-5 overall, 0-4 in the MVC.

Game 1

R

H

E

C.R. Prairie

0 0 0

0 0 4

--

4

5

3

C.R. Jefferson

0 0 1

6 2 0

x

--

9

12

1

Katelyn Kuch, Sara Stevenson (5) and Alyson O'Brian. Hannah Petersen, Alissa Good (6) and Maddie Hansen. W -- Petersen (3-0). L -- Kuch (0-3). HR -- CRJ: Carson Burgart (1), Hansen (1).

Gabrielle Carter and Alyson O'Brian. Brooke Stauffer and Maddie Hansen. W -- Stauffer (1-1). L -- Carter (0-2).

Game 2

R

H

E

C.R. Prairie

0 0 1

0 0 0

--

1

9

1

C.R. Jefferson

3 2 0

3 0 0

x

--

8

12

3