Seven innings weren’t enough to decide Jefferson and Jackson County’s first meeting on the softball diamond.
This time, the teams didn’t even get in a full seven in the rematch.
Jefferson beat Jackson County 3-0 last Wednesday after the game was called in the top of the seventh due to rain. (See photos of the game on page 7B).
Jefferson coach Brad Puckett said it was an unfortunate way to end the game.
“I hate it for (Jackson County coach) Lisa (Robinson), because she does a great job,” he said. “She’s got a great ball team.”
The victory clinched the no. 2 seed for Jefferson in the region tournament.
Puckett said his team cleaned up all the little mistakes it made back on Sept. 9 in its 5-4 win over Jackson County in eight innings.
“Our goal (last Wednesday) was to do all the little things right,” Puckett said. “We did all the little things right.”
In this game, Jefferson scored one run in the fourth and two in the fifth and was ahead on the scoreboard when rain became too heavy for the teams to continue.
Ironically, last Wednesday’s game was makeup date for an Aug. 17 rainout between the two teams.
Jordyn Whitfield (2-for-3) and Anna Alexander (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) led Jefferson offensively. Mogan McKinney recorded the win, pitching six innings and allowing one hit.
The Panthers’ Madison Whitmire accounted for that hit, tripling in the fourth.
Robinson said it was a tough night for her team in multiple phases of the game.
“The thing is, we made errors and Jefferson showed up,” Robinson said. “They out played us. We didn’t hit the ball. We didn’t execute defense.”
