IOWA CITY - Jefferson baseball coach Mike Kuba has confidence in his team’s ability to score runs in bunches.

“These guys usually find a way to pump it up at least one inning,” Kuba said.

The J-Hawks had their one inning Monday, but it wasn't enough.

Despite turning a sure blowout into a close game in the opener, Jefferson was swept by Iowa City High in a baseball doubleheader at Mercer Park. City High won the first game 9-8 and the nightcap 9-2.

The J-Hawks were down 8-1 in the seventh inning of the opener, but did not throw in the towel.

Drew Streigel had a bases-loaded double to score three runs that brought the J-Hawks within 8-7, and they knotted the score on Michael Rooney's sacrifice fly.

In the bottom half of the seventh, however, City High’s Tyler Stika hit an RBI single that plated Sam Mrstik for the game winner, negating Jefferson’s big inning.

“We just have to get more consistent innings, one through six,” said Kuba.

City High brought out the bats again in the second game, collecting 11 hits and scoring nine runs. Mrstik pitched six strong innings, holding Jefferson to two runs, and collected four RBIs at the plate.

“Our pitching has to get to the point where it keeps us in the games more often," Kuba said. "We got some good innings out of a lot of our pitchers, but staying out of that big inning is important.”

Jefferson had some bright spots at times, but Kuba reiterated the importance of being consistent.

“Obviously it was good to see from a coaching standpoint that they flipped the switch and didn’t give up, that’s just the mental makeup of this team, but we just have to get more consistent,” he said.

Consistency will be crucial. The J-Hawks visit Pleasant Valley on Tuesday in a JV-varsity matchup at 3 p.m.

GAME 1

JEFFERSON (8)

Tanner Unkel, 2b, 4 2 1 1, Drew Striegel, c, 4 1 2 3, Michael Rooney, p, 4 0 0 1, Jordan Dee, 1b, 4 1 3 0, Ky Kramer, ss, 4 0 1 0, Jake Schmidt, rf, 3 1 1 1, Colten Jourdan, 1 0 0 0, Austin Goodell, lf, 4 1 1 0, Sam Techau, 3b, 3 1 0 0, Christian Knox, cf, 3 1 0 0.  Totals 34 8 9 6.

CITY HIGH (9)
Brent Hamm, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Josh Crosby, dh, 4 2 2 0, Adam Prybil, 1b, 4 3 2 3, Connor Alberhasky, p, 4 1 1 1, Sam Mrstik, ss, 4 1 1 1, John Hartley, lf, 4 1 1 0, Ryan Duncan, cf, 4 1 2 2, Tyler Stika, c, 4 0 1 1, Nate Winegarden, rf, 2 0 0 0, Grant Simpson, 2b, 0 0 0 0, Nick Dildine, 1 0 0 0. Totals 35 9 10 8.

Jefferson 100 000 7  -  8  9  0
City High  501 020 1  -  9 10 0

Rooney, Jourdan (4), Hollingsworth (7) and Striegel. Alberhasky, Duncan (4), Simpson (7), Duncan (7) and Stika. W -- Duncan. L – Hollingsworth
2B- Dee 2, Striegel, Crosby, Duncan 2.  HR – Prybil. SB- Dee, Prybil.

GAME 2

JEFFERSON (2)
Unkel, 2b, 4 0 1 0, Rooney, cf, 4 1 1 1, Alex Larson, 3b, 3 0 1 1, Bailey Hollingsworth, rf, 3 0 0 0, Dee, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Striegel, dh, 3 0 1 0, Jordan McCormick, p, 2 0 0 0, Drake Vanous, rf, 1 0 1 0, Chance Tiedtke, ss, 3 1 0 0, Knox, lf, 3 0 1 0.  Totals 29 2 6 1.

CITY HIGH (9)
Hamm, 3b, 4 1 1 0, Crosby, dh, 4 3 3 3, Prybil, 1b, 4 2 1 0, Alberhasky, ss, 4 1 2 2, Mrstik, p, 4 0 2 4, Hartley, lf, 4 0 1 0, Duncan, cf, 3 0 0 0, Grant Simpson, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Stika, 3 2 1 0.  Totals 33 9 11 9.

Jefferson  002 000 0 --   2  6  1
City High  004 203 x  --  9  11 1

McCormick, Hollingsworth (3) and Jourdan. Mrstik, Duncan (7) and Stika. W – Mrstik L – McCormick.
2B- Hamm, Crosby, Alberhasky 2. 3B- Mrstik. HR- Crosby. SB- Rooney, Dee, Striegel 2.