Metro Sports Report

Jeff girls swat 6 homers in split

WATERLOO - The Cedar Rapids Jefferson softball team belted six home runs Tuesday while splitting a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Waterloo West.

The fifth-ranked J-Hawks hit five homers and cruised in the first game, 19-2, in six innings. Waterloo West rebounded and took the nightcap, 9-8, in eight innings.

The split damaged Jefferson's hopes of winning the Valley Division title in the MVC. The J-Hawks finished the league campaign with a 22-4 mark. Iowa City West leads the Valley standings at 20-2 with doubleheaders still on tap against Cedar Rapids Washington and Linn-Mar.

Avery Guy, Maddie Hansen, Erin Kuba, Lindsey Culver and Kennedy Dighton hit home runs for Jefferson in the first game. Culver was 3-for-3 with four RBIs. Guy was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Hansen, Kuba and Tori Brandon had two hits. Alyssa Olson was the winning pitcher with eight strikeouts.

Gordon proud of his all-star brother

Cedar Rapids Kernels shortstop Nick Gordon is mighty proud of his older brother.

Dee Gordon, 27, of the Miami Marlins has been selected as the starting second baseball for the National League in the Major League All-Star Game that will be played next Tuesday night in Cincinnati.

Gordon also made the all-star team last year when he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He got traded during the offseason but has not missed a beat, hitting .339 for Miami for the third-best batting average in the National League.

No. 2 J-Hawks take stride toward title

This has turned into a special year for the Cedar Rapids Jefferson baseball team and the best could be yet to come.

The J-Hawks are ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, they're close to winning their first Mississippi Valley Conference title in 10 years, and they've got an excellent shot at making the state tournament for the first time in 17 years.

Jefferson took another big step Monday night by whipping No. 8 Kennedy, 4-0, on a four-hit shutout by Spencer VanScoyoc at the Jefferson field.

The J-Hawks and Cougars meet again at approximately 7 p.m. Tuesday at Kennedy

Jefferson has a two-game lead in the loss column in the Valley Division standings with only five games left in their MVC campaign. They are 25-6 overall, 17-4 in the conference and looking good.

Maddie Hansen wins Metro Spotlight Award

Maddie Hansen of Cedar Rapids Jefferson is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday night.

Hansen, a senior, is one of the top softball players in Iowa. The all-star catcher is hitting .500 this season with nine home runs and 42 RBIs in 36 games.

The fifth-ranked J-Hawks have a 31-6 record and are challenging Iowa City West for the Valley Division title in the Valley Division after sweeping the Women of Troy last week.