Things got ugly during the Jefferson baseball team's seven-game losing streak this month.

Spotty pitching, leaky defense, not enough hitting, maybe a helmet tossed in anger.

The frustration ended Monday night when the J-Hawks clipped Iowa City West, 4-2, in the second game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at the Jefferson field.

Iowa City West won the opener, 14-9.

Jefferson was outscored, 70-23, during its seven-game skid, including an embarrassing twinbill against Dubuque Wahlert last Friday when the J-Hawks got drubbed 18-3 and 11-0.

"I don't remember having a streak like that before," said Jefferson Coach Mike Kuba. "It certainly hasn't happened in my 16 years, and probably 10 years prior to that."

Bailey Hollingsworth helped Jefferson (6-14, 4-10) end the tailspin in the nightcap with a strong performance on the mound. He tossed a complete game and his teammates made some sparkling plays in the field.

Outfielders Jake Schmidt and Michael Rooney tracked down some rockets, and catcher Drew Striegel picked an Iowa City West runner off third base in a big situation.

"I don't know how many times Jake saved my butt out there in right field," Hollingsworth said. "And Drew was calling all the right signs behind the plate. So it feels good."

Hollingsworth, a senior, pitched his first complete game since his sophomore campaign with the J-Hawks. He spaced eight hits and walked two batters.

"Bailey threw exceptionally well for us tonight," said Kuba. "He did a nice job of getting ahead in the counts and did a nice job of locating his pitches."

Hollingsworth began the game with four shutout innings. He was nicked for single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, but made big pitches along the way.

"I felt pretty good as the game went on," he said. "I kept seeing zeroes go up on the scoreboard and it gave me more and more confidence."

Iowa City West (13-9, 7-7) tied the score, 1-1, in the top of the fifth inning and had runners on second and third with two outs. Ryan Rumpf, the Trojans' best hitter, was standing at the plate in a clutch situation, but Striegel picked a Trojan off third to end the threat.

Jefferson scored twice in the bottom of the fifth for a 3-1 lead, thanks to a bloop two-run double by Hollingsworth that the Iowa City West right fielder didn't see until it was too late.

The J-Hawks made it 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth, but Iowa City West scored in the top of the seventh and had two runners on base when Hollingsworth got the final out on a fly ball.

Jefferson has not had a losing season since a 12-23 record in 2003. The J-Hawks have reached the midpoint of the 2011 regular season with a 6-14 mark, but Kuba thinks there's still time for the club to have a good campaign.

"I think we have a great chance to turn this thing around and have a good second half," he said.

Jefferson second baseman Tanner Unkel was involved in a collision with an Iowa City West baserunner in the fourth inning of the opener and went to a hospital to be examined for a possible concussion. He returned to the ballpark and appeared to be alert and in good spirits.

"He's fine," Kuba said.

Unkel was 2-for-2 with a home run and double in his only two at-bats in the doubleheader.

Game 1

IOWA CITY WEST (14)
Peller, cf, 5 1 2 1, Siems, rf, 3 2 0 0, Grimsman, ph, 1 0 0 0, Rumpf, dh, 3 2 2 4, Ross, p, 0 0 0 0, Yoder, p, 0 0 0 0, Aller, p, 0 0 0 0, Bonner, 1b, 3 2 1 2, Reiners, lf, 2 1 2 1, Kuepker, ph, 0 0 0 0, Harder, ph, 1 0 0 0, Cronk, c, 5 1 2 3, Grimsman, cr, 0 1 0 0, Schreck, 3b, 4 0 1 1, Ewing, ph, 0 0 0 1, Crimmins, ss, 4 2 2 0, Franz, 2b, 4 2 2 0. Totals 35 14 14 13.

JEFFERSON (9)
Unkel, 2b, 2 2 2 2, Tiedtke, 2b, 2 0 1 1, Rooney, p/cf, 3 0 2 1, Vanous, cr, 0 1 0 0, Larson, 3b, 4 0 2 1, McCormick, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Striegel, c, 3 0 0 0, Dee, c, 0 1 0 0, Kramer, ss, 3 2 1 1, Hollingsworth, rf, 2 1 0 1, Schmidt, lf/p, 3 1 0 0, Jourdan, p, 0 0 0 0, Knox, cf/lf, 3 1 1 0. Totals 28 9 9 7.

Iowa City West   311 441 0 - 14 14 3
Jefferson           140 002 2 -   9   9 3

Ross, Yoder (4), Aller (6) and Cronk. Rooney, Jourdan (4), Schmidt (6) and Striegel, Dee (6). W - Yoder. L - Rooney. 2B - Peller, Rumpf, Reiners, Franz, Unkel, Larson, Kramer. HR - Rumpf, Cronk, Unkel. SB - Peller 2, Siems, Reiner.

Game 2

IOWA CITY WEST (2)
Peller, cf, 4 1 1 0, Siems, rf, 4 0 3 2, Rumpf, dh, 3 0 0 0, Grimsman, p, 0 0 0 0, Bonner, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Cronk, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Schreck, lf/p, 3 0 0 0, Crimmins, ss, 2 0 1 0, Ewing, ph, 1 0 0 0, Baker, c, 2 0 0 0, Kuepker, ph, 1 0 0 0, Franz, 2b, 3 1 2 0. Totals 29 2 8 2.

JEFFERSON (4)
Rooney, cf, 4 1 1 0, Striegel, c, 3 0 1 0, Vanous, cr, 0 0 0 0, Larson, ss, 1 1 0 0, McCormick, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Schmidt, rf, 4 1 1 0, Hollingsworth, p, 3 0 1 2, Gruwell, cr, 0 0 0 0, Kramer, 2b, 1 0 0 0, Techau, 3b, 2 0 1 1, Knox, lf, 2 1 0 0. Totals 22 4 5 3.

Iowa City West    000 010 1 - 2 8 1
Jefferson            000 121 x - 4 5 2

Grimsman, Schreck (6) and Baker. Hollingsworth and Striegel. W - Hollingsworth. L - Grimsman. 2B - Siems 2, Hollingsworth.