Johnston holds off Jefferson, 2-1

FORT DODGE - There were no killer errors. No baserunning flubs.

The Jefferson J-Hawks didn't give away their Class 5A semifinal game against Johnston at the state softball tournament. But nor did they steal the Dragons' crown.

'We gave our best. They gave their best. And it went their way today, I guess,” Jefferson's Hannah Towns said after No. 2 Johnston edged the third-ranked J-Hawks, 2-1, Thursday evening at the Rogers Sports Complex.

'We just came up a little short,” Jefferson pitcher Alyssa Olson said. 'We couldn't string anything together.”

Johnston (35-4) will attempt to nail down a title repeat at 4:45 p.m. Friday, against Central Iowa Metro League foe Waukee (35-8). Either way, it will be the 13th consecutive big-school title for the CIML.

Both teams played clean ball, but the difference came offensively. Johnston out-hit the J-Hawks (36-8) by a 6-4 margin, with four of the Dragons' hits going for two bases.

Jefferson didn't have a hit until the fifth inning, and the J-Hawks had precious few scoring opportunities.

One did come in the sixth inning, with the Dragons leading 1-0.

With two outs, Tori Brandon singled, then pinch-runner Kaylee Donner raced to third on Maddie Hansen's sharp double down the left-field line.

'I'm glad they pitched to me,” said Hansen, who was intentionally walked four times by Linn-Mar in a quarterfinal win. 'A few more hits would have made it a different game.”

Erin Kuba popped out to first base to end the threat.

Johnston extended the cushion to 2-0 in the top of the seventh, on Hannah Espeland's RBI single. Towns' home run to straightaway centerfield got the J-Hawks back within a run, but Jefferson couldn't get the tying run on base.

'I thought both pitchers were outstanding,” said Jefferson Coach Brian Erbe. 'It might have been the best game (Olson) pitched all year.

'We had a chance against, I think, the best team in the state.”

Johnston's Haylee Towers (23-1) retired 12 of the first 13 Jefferson batters and struck out eight.

The J-Hawks will face West Des Moines Valley (36-7) in the third-place game at 3:30 Friday afternoon.

Johnston scored its first run in peculiar fashion. With runners at second and third, and one out, Abby Pender squeezed Brooke Wilmes home. But Hansen threw out Brooke Sandstoe out at third after Sandstoe overran the base, then Erin Kuba threw out Pender at second.

Kennedy Dighton had the J-Hawks' first hit, leading off the fifth.

JOHNSTON 2, CEDAR RAPIDS JEFFERSON 1

Class 5A State Semifinal, at Fort Dodge

Johnston 100 000 1 - 2 6 1

C.R. Jefferson 000 000 1 - 1 4 0

Haylee Towers and Abby Pember. Alyssa Olson and Maddie Hansen. W - Towers (23-1). L - Olson (19-5). HR - CRJ: Hannah Towns (9).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com