For years when you thought of Jefferson softball you'd think pitching and defense.

It's no different this year.

No. 8 Jefferson has a dominant pitching duo in senior Katie Naber and junior Hannah Petersen and Thursday night the J-Hawk pitching and defense were on display as the J-Hawks swept the Linn-Mar Lions at Jefferson in a MVC doubleheader. Jefferson took the first game, 6-0, and the second, 7-1.

“Katie and Pete pitched well tonight,” Jefferson Coach Larry Niemeyer said. “We just try to control the tempo of the game with our pitch calls.”

Petersen dominated the Linn-Mar lineup in the opener, scattering four singles over seven shutout innings. Only one runner advanced past first base and Petersen struck out 10.

Naber nearly matched her teammate in the nightcap, giving up just five hits. The Lions were able to put up one unearned run on Naber in the seventh inning. Naber struck out four. but worked her way out of some self-created trouble.

“Linn-Mar had some girls get on but Katie was able to work out of a couple of situations,” Niemeyer said.

Pitching and defense was the story for the J-Hawks but the bats got in the action, too. The Lions also committed a combined eight errors in the two games and young pitchers also put them at a disadvantage.

Jefferson (13-2, 9-0 MVC) broke through in the third inning of the first game with a pair of runs. The J-Hawks added three more in the fifth to give themselves a cushion, and then tacked on one more in the sixth for good measure.  Junior Hannah McInerney went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

“It feels great, just awesome,” McInerney said about hitting well after returning earlier this week from an injury that had sidelined her since the start of the season.

Leandra Martins had a pair of hits for the Lions (4-13, 2-8).

Jefferson got on the scoreboard in the first inning of the nightcap when McInerney grounded out to score junior Rachel Sedlacek, who had singled to lead off the frame.

Jefferson added three more in the third inning. After an error, walk and a pair of singles, junior Carson Burgart tripled to bring in two runs.

The J-Hawks added two runs in the fifth with three consecutive two-out singles.

Burgart went 2-for-3 with a triple and a pair of RBIs. McInerney added an RBI.

“I feel more confident at the plate,” Burgart said. “I have been waiting on the ball and going with it.”

Martins added another hit for the Lions and Hannah Yearling scored the only Linn-Mar run.

GAME 1

LINN-MAR (0)
Ellie Rizor, C, 3 0 0 0, Kelsey Duggan, 2B, 3 0 0 0, Kortlan Olinger, LF, 3 0 1 0, Maggie Rizor, 1B, 3 0 0 0, Dionna Jensen, P, 3 0 1 0, Alissa Clauson, PR, 0 0 0 0, Leandra Martins, CF, 3 0 2 0, Hannah Yearling, DP, 2 0 0 0, Jenna Harms, RF, 3 0 0 0, Lindsey Harms, SS, 2 0 1 0, Lauren Swanson, 3B, 0 0 0 0. Totals 25 0 4 0.

JEFFERSON (6)
Rachel Sedlacek, LF, 4 0 1 1, Kailey Drake, CF, 4 2 2 0, Hannah Petersen, P, 3 0 0 0, Ashley Madsen, PR, 0 0 0 0, Hannah McInerney, 3B, 3 0 2 3, Hannah Towns, PR, 0 1 0 0, Kenna Fry, 1B, 3 0 1 1, Maddy Blietz, PR, 0 0 0 0, Maddie Koolbeck, DP, 3 0 1 0, Amber Grimm, RF, 3 0 0 0, Carson Burgart, SS, 2 2 1 0, Kaitlyn Davidson, 2B, 2 1 1 0, Nicole Marquart, C, 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 6 8 5.

Linn-Mar   000 000 0 -  0 4 2
Jefferson  002 031 x -  6 8 0
Jensen and E. Rizor. Petersen and Marquart. W – Petersen L – Jensen. 2B – McInerney, Burgart SB – Drake

GAME 2
LINN-MAR (1)
Ellie Rizor, DP, 2 0 1 0, Kelsey Duggan, 2B, 2 0 0 0, Kortlan Olinger, LF, 3 0 0 0, Maggie Rizor, 1B, 3 0 0 0, Leandra Martins, CF, 3 0 1 0, Hannah Yearling, C, 2 1 0 0, Jenna Harms, RF, 3 0 1 0, Lauren Swanson, 3B, 2 0 0 0, Georgia Kolf, PH, 1 0 1 0, Lindsey Harms, SS, 3 0 1 0, Maddy Ryan, P, 0 0 0 0. Totals 24 1 5 0.

JEFFERSON (7)
Rachel Sedlacek, LF, 4 3 1 0, Kailey Drake, RF, 3 0 1 0, Hannah McInerney, DP, 3 1 1 1, Kenna Fry, 1B, 4 1 2 1, Hannah Towns, PR, 0 1 0 0, Carson Burgart, SS, 3 1 2 2, Maddy Blietz, 3B, 2 0 1 1, Katie Naber, P, 2 0 0 0, Maddie Hanson, PH, 1 0 0 0, Kaitlyn Davidson, 2B, 2 0 0 0, Maddie Koolbeck, PH, 1 0 0 0, Nicole Marquart, C, 3 0 1 0, Katelyn Holub, CR, 0 0 0 0, Ashley Madsen, CF, 0 0 0 0. Totals 28 7 9 5.

Linn-Mar  000 000 1 -  1 5 6
Jefferson 103 021 x -  7 9 2
Ryan and Yearling, E. Rizor. Naber and Marquart. W – Naber. L – Ryan. 3B – Burgart.

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