Natalie Halvorson was just an eighth grader when Prairie softball coach Joe Yegge put her into the game as a relief pitcher at the Class 5A state tournament in Fort Dodge two years ago.

Halvorson is still only a sophomore, but she's developed into one of the top pitchers in the Mississippi Valley Conference after that early indoctrination in a pressure-packed situation.

Halvorson pitched a complete game Wednesday night in a showdown with Jefferson all-stater Alyssa Olson as Prairie trimmed the sixth-ranked J-Hawks, 3-1, in the first game of an MVC doubleheader at the Prairie field.

Jefferson rebounded and took the nightcap, 7-6.

Halvorson pitched out of trouble all night against the J-Hawks, stranding 11 runners and surviving a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning when Jefferson scored its only run.

She has a 10-4 record with a 0.98 ERA now, with 97 strikeouts in 86 innings.

"Right now she's pitching like a senior," said Yegge. "Just the growth over the last six months that I've seen in her is awesome. She's pitching like an upperclassman. Nothing bothers her.

"For being a sophomore, she might be the best in the league," said Yegge. "That's a bold statement, but she's good.

"Her mentality on the mound, her speed, her accuracy, her movement. Everything about her game has gotten so much better."

Halvorson was just 14 years old when she pitched in the 2013 state tournament.

"I think it really gave me confidence and I think I grew from it," she said. "I was kind of surprised (she got to pitch), but I was excited.

"I honestly wasn't that nervous. We were already losing. I had to throw strikes. That's all."

Jefferson (13-5, 9-3) had runners on base in every inning against Halvorson, but the J-Hawks did not do any damage until there were two outs in the seventh inning of a 3-0 ballgame. They strung three singles together for their only run, but Halvorson finished the game with a fly ball to left field.

Yegge liked the way Halvorson buckled down in the seventh.

"She's grown up and gotten tougher," he said. "As a freshman and eighth grader, she probably would have panicked with the bases loaded. Here it was, 'OK, let's get an out, let's make a play.'"

Olson tossed a solid game for Jefferson, but Prairie's 10th grader had a slight edge on Jefferson's 12th grader this time. Halvorson respects Olson and relished the victory.

"I think it's really cool," said Halvorson. "She's a good pitcher. And I think we proved that at Prairie softball, we're not the old program that can be stepped on."

Anne Cerveny had a two-run single in the third inning to give Prairie (13-6, 9-3) a 2-0 lead. The Hawks made it 3-0 in the sixth inning on an RBI single by catcher Neila Bell, who enjoyed a big twinbill for Prairie. Bell went 5-for-6 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Jefferson jumped to a 7-2 lead in the sixth inning of the nightcap and held on for the 7-6 victory. Olson relieved Alyssa Good in the seventh inning and was touched for one run, but wiggled out of trouble and got the save.

Jefferson catcher Maddie Hansen went 3-for-4 in the doubleheader and walked four times, including three intentional walks when Prairie did not want to pitch to the dangerous slugger.

"Our strategy was to let the rest of the team beat us," said Halvorson. "She's obviously a phenomenal player."

Prairie and Jefferson are both 9-3 in the MVC, but they are competing for titles in different divisions. Prairie is in the Mississippi Division and Jefferson is in the Valley Division.

"I thought it was two really good teams battling each other," said Jefferson Coach Brian Erbe. "They're just a good club and Joe does a good job coaching them."

GAME 1

Jefferson    000 000 1 - 1 8 1
Prairie      002 001 x - 3 6 1

W - Halvorson. L - Olson

GAME 2

Jefferson    001 321 0 - 7 9 2
Prairie      020 003 1 - 6 13 4

W - Good. L - Frederick. S - Olson.