CONVOY — Jefferson seemingly had wrenched victory from the jaws of defeat Monday night at Crestview, getting a 3-run 7th-inning home run by junior Jordan Jettinghoff to take a 3-2 lead.

The hosts Knights took it away just as quickly in the home half, getting a 2-run single by Jordan Gibson to grab a huge 4-3 victory to take command of the Northwest Conference race.

“It’s an understatement to say it’s a tough way to lose and a tough game to lose. The game was what you expected; it was absolutely a great one,” Jefferson head man Troy Montenery observed. “I am proud of how our kids didn’t hang their heads. We had one hit through six innings and could’ve packed our bags but didn’t. It’s the effort we have seen from this group of seniors for four years; scratch and claw, if necessary, to win a game. Crestview did the same.”

This matchup lived up to all the hype as the two conference powers met up at the Crestview Athletic Conference.

The Knights (12-2, 6-0 NWC) led 2-0 heading into the top of the seventh behind right-hander Nate Ulrey (3-0; 7 innings, 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts; 100 pitches). The Wildcats (11-4, 4-2 NWC) played small-ball to stay alive, getting a leadoff infield hit by Ryan Kortokrax that knocked the wind out of second sacker Tony Springer. An out later, Matt Gerdeman beat out an infield hit to deep short. Taylor Hesseling forced Kortokrax at third. With Adam Wollenhaupt pinch-running at first, the left-handed batting Jettinghoff launched a drive deep to right-center. With the wind blowing out, the ball kept going and cleared the fence for a 3-run dinger and a 3-2 lead.

The Knights responded against Jefferson ace Mike Rahrig (4-1; 6 2/3 innings, 5 hits, 4 runs, 1 earned, 2 bases-on-balls, 8 Ks, 4 wild pitches, 1 hit batter; 112 pitches, 67 strikes). A leadoff error on a wind-blown fly ball resulted in Steven Semer getting to second. An out later, Ian Clay lined a single into right to put runners on the corners. Clay immediately stole second. An out later, Jordan Gibson launched a hit into left-center, scoring Semer and Clay to end the contest.

“No question, the home run by Jettinghoff was tough to come back from; we were that close to finishing the game. The kids responded and that’s a credit to them,” Crestview mentor Jim Wharton acknowledged. “Jordan is a gamer. Twice before, Rahrig made him look foolish. Sometimes, it’s as simple as see the ball and hit the ball.”

Jefferson’s Josh Miller got aboard on an error with two down in the first but was stranded.

A hit batter (Springer) and a 2-out hit-and-run single to right by Kyle Balliet out Crestview runners on the corners in the home half but Rahrig whiffed Ulrey to end the threat.

Jefferson had a great chance to strike first in the third. Jettinghoff (2-for-3) laced a leadoff double to the fence in left-center. Two outs hence, Sean Fisher walked. However, Miller forced Jettinghoff at third to leave two aboard.

Crestview got an unearned run in the home half. With two down, Springer doubled down the left-field line. A wild pitch and error on the same sequence scored the senior for a 1-0 Crestview edge.

Kortokrax got aboard on an error to lead off the fourth but an out later, was cut down trying to steal.

Crestview got Kyle Balliet to third in the bottom half via an error and two wild pitches but he stayed there.

Clay worked a free pass with two down in the Crestview fifth but went nowhere.

Crestview scored its only earned run in the sixth. Gibson walked to start. Balliet bounced out to first to move the runner up. A wild pitch put Gibson at third, from where he scored courtesy of a chopper to center by Ulrey through a drawn-in infield.

“Mike pitched well enough to win. He at times was dominant, especially with his curve; a couple of times, he struggled and that hurt him,” Montenery added. “He was excited to be out there on the mound and competing. In a game like this, you cannot afford to make mistakes. You give a team like Crestview, with its ability to score a lot of runs, extra outs and it gets you at the end. Every play matters.”

Jefferson is at Wayne Trace tonight. First pitch is 5 p.m.

“I thought we’d see more runs scored when you consider both offenses but both pitchers were phenomenal. Both pitched well enough to win and definitely, neither deserved to lose,” Wharton added. “We had a couple of errors — that has been a bit of an Achilles heel for us — which happen in high school baseball but for the most part, we were solid defensively. We told the kids before the game that this would be like a tournament game and it was.”

Crestview visits Ayersville tonight.