State softball consolations: Jefferson finishes 7th in Class 5A

FORT DODGE — Emily Oler made her state-softball pitching debut Wednesday afternoon, and made it a good one.

Oler fashioned a five-hit shutout, and Cedar Rapids Jefferson concluded its tournament run with an 8-0 win over West Des Moines Dowling in the Class 5A seventh-place game at the Rogers Sports Complex.

'I just took it pitch by pitch,' Oler said. 'If I threw a ball, I thought, 'I've got this. I'll get the next one.''

Jefferson (39-6) scored four runs in the first inning. The first four batters reached, and eventually scored.

The J-Hawks also aided Oler defensively early with a pickoff at first base and a double play.

'Those were huge,' Oler said. 'They were game-changers.'

Hannah Markham delivered three hits and drove in three runs.

'I was just working on my load, staying back and driving my hips through,' Markham said. 'It was nice to be able to bounce back and win the last one for the seniors.'

Oler knocked in two runs.

Jefferson dropped its consolation semifinal, 10-3, to West Des Moines Valley. Avery Guy drove in a pair of runs for the J-Hawks.

Valley scored six runs in the top of the sixth to break it open.

PLAINSMEN FINISH 7TH

Belle Plaine scored in the top of the seventh to tie it, then beat Montezuma 4-3 in eight innings in the Class 1A seventh-place game.

Shaylee Dodd, Ashton Bohlen and Katy Ward rapped two hits apiece for the Plainsmen, who finished 24-8.

Montezuma (19-15) got two hits apiece from Cassidy Watts and Breck Goodman. Shelby Helm drove in two runs.

HOW THEY FINISHED

Here's how each class' consolation round finished. The tournament continues Thursday with the semifinals.

Class 5A: 5. West Des Moines Valley, 6. Johnston, 7. Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 8. West Des Moines Dowling

Class 4A: 5. Carlisle, 6. Mount Pleasant, 7. Fairfield, 8. Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Class 3A: 5. Humboldt, 6. Sioux Center, 7. West Marshall, 8. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley

Class 2A: 5. Central Springs, 6. Logan-Magnolia, 7. Waterloo Columbus, 8. North Union

Class 1A: 5. Akron-Westfield, 6. Colfax-Mingo, 7. Belle Plaine, 8. Montezuma

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