Jefferson junior southpaw ace Hannah Petersen once again did her thing in the pitching circle, allowing only three hits and no earned runs Saturday against Creston.

But her thing wasn't enough for the J-Hawks to avoid a 2-1 softball loss.

Class 4A No.4 Jefferson (23-5) had two untimely errors that allowed the Class 3A No.13 Panthers (21-4) to score both of their runs. That was all the run support needed for Creston pitcher Madison Frain, who matched Petersen's three-hitter.

The J-Hawks scored their only run on a double steal of second and home.

“We need to be more selective at the plate, we chase a lot (of pitches),” said Petersen, who had one of the J-Hawk hits. “We don’t get timely hits or walks, we just need to execute.”

The Panthers struck first in the third inning, when J-Hawk third baseman Hannah McInerney fielded a sacrifice bunt and threw it into right field. The error allowed Haley LeMasters, who had walked to lead off the inning, to score from first.

Jefferson tied the game in the fourth inning on a steal of home by junior Kailey Drake, who had singled to lead off the inning. She advanced to third when junior Kenna Fry and eighth grader Maddie Hanson were both hit by pitches.

The game was tied heading into the seventh inning, which started with Petersen striking out Maddie Haines. But Haines reached first when senior catcher Nicole Marquart dropped the third strike. The error keep the inning alive for the Panthers, who eventually scored the winning run when Sam McDonald's RBI single scored Haines.

The J-Hawks stranded a runner on third base in the bottom of the seventh inning and Creston took the victory.

Petersen struck out 15 in the losing effort. Frain fanned 14 J-Hawks.

“My back door curve was really working,” Petersen said. “I was hitting my spots and was staying ahead in the count.”

Jefferson was scheduled to play Mount Vernon later in the day Saturday, but the game was cancelled by rain.

The J-Hawks play a doubleheader at Iowa City High on Tuesday. They host Valley Division rival Dubuque Hempstead in a doubleheader Thursday on senior night.

CRESTON (2)
Kaitlyn Beiley, SS, 4 0 1 0, Carla Smith, C, 3 0 0 0, Madison Frain, P, 3 0 0 0, Shelbie Kramer, 1B, 3 0 0 0, Maddie Haines, 2B, 3 1 0 0, Bree Matlen, RF, 3 0 0 0, Haley LeMasters, LF, 2 1 1 0, Malorie Griffith, 3B, 2 0 0 0, Natalie Mostaic, pr, 0 0 0 0, Sam McDonald, CF, 3 0 1 1. Totals 26 2 3 1.

JEFFERSON (1)
Rachel Sedlacek, LF, 4 0 0 0, Kailey Drake, 3 1 1 0, Hannah Petersen, P, 2 0 1 0, Hannah Towns, cr, 0 0 0 0, Kenna Fry, 1B, 2 0 0 0, Maddie Hanson, DP, 1 0 0 0, Hannah McInerney, 3B, 2 0 0 0, Maddy Blietz, 3B, 1 0 0 0, Amber Grimm, RF, 2 0 0 0, Ashley Madsen, CF, 0 0 0 0, Maddie Koolbeck, ph, 0 0 0 0, Carson Burgart, SS, 2 0 0 0, Kaitlyn Davidson, 2B, 3 0 1 0, Nicole Marquart, C, 0 0 0 0. Totals 22 1 3 0.

Creston    001 000 1 -  2  3  0
Jefferson  000 100 0 -  1  3  2
Frain and Smith. Petersen and Marquart. W – Frain. L – Petersen. SB – Madsen.

Scores

Dubuque Hempstead 10, English Valleys 5
Creston 2, Jefferson 1
Creston 4, English Valleys 0 (4), susp., rain