Fatima overcame a one-run early deficit to defeat Linn Friday 6-1 as seniors Chayce Gier, Chesney Luebbering, and Anna Eichholz were recognized for their dedication to the program.

“We were very happy to celebrate our three seniors tonight,” said Coach Ashlee Schnieders. “They all play big roles for us and they deserved this special night. We were a little slow to the start but finally starting to look like our team offensively later in the game. It was a good win celebrating Chayce, Chesney, and Anna.”

Linn got it started with a one-out single by Autumn Baker (2-3) and a double by Aushara Hostetler (1-3, RBI) to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Unfortunately, that was all the Lady Wildcats would score but Coach Ryan Rost said he’s pleased with the effort and progress.

“We had a game plan coming out and we know that Chayce is one of the most dominant pitchers in the area,” said Rost. “We knew we’d have to jump on her early and we took some good at-bats in the first. They’re a good team and in the end, they got a few more hits than we did.”

Fatima and Linn’s batters went down in order as both pitchers, Gier for Fatima, and Hostetler for Linn, were on point.

However, in the bottom of the second, Fatima found a rally after a lead-off error allowed Kinzey Woody (1-4, RBI) to reach. Allison Schwartze followed with a walk, and two batters later, with one out, Ellie Brune drew a walk.

Woody scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, and then Hannah Heisler (1-3, RBI) drilled the ball to center field for a long single that drove in Schwartze and Brune, both of whom had moved up on the errant pitch.

Baker sent a two-out double to left field in the top of the third but was stranded.

Neither team posted a hit again until the top of the fifth, but Kaitlyn Starke’s (1-3) single couldn’t gain much traction despite moving to second on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the frame, however, the Lady Comets broke the game open with four more runs.

Caleigh Huot (1-3) singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Luebbering reached on an error but Huot was caught trying to steal third.

Gier (2-4, RBI) singled to push Luebbering to third and Emerson Williams entered as a courtesy runner. Luebbering and Williams scored on a single by Eichholz (2-4, 2 RBI) as she advanced to second on the throw.

With a 4-1 lead, Woody drove in Eichholz with a single and while Faith Jaegers (1-3) added a base hit and Brune walked, no more runs crossed that inning.

In the sixth, Luebbering drew a one-out walk and stole second, scoring on a hit by Gier for a 6-1 lead.

On the rubber, Gier threw a complete game with nine strikeouts while the one earned run came on four hits.

For Linn, Hostetler allowed three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

In the JV game, Fatima won 7-0 in three innings, plating four in the first and three in the third.

Of seven hits, the Lady Comets got two from Lily Cunningham as Emerson Williams (triple, 2 RBI), Peyton Wieberg (2 RBI), Mia Kliethermes (RBI), Kristin Robertson, and Madison Wankum added one apiece.

From the circle, Ella Massman notched the win after pitching a no-hitter with three strikeouts.

For Linn, Lily Strope opened and pitched one inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits with a strikeout and three walks, while Hannah Hackmann finished the game with three earned runs on four hits.