A few days after defeating new Haven in the regular season, Linn again bested the lady shamrocks, this time in a 10-0 decision in five innings for the Class 2, District 8 championship on Friday.

“We faced a different pitcher but I’m happy with the way the girls came out swinging,” said Coach Renee Heidger. “We took some really good swings and we were more patient at the plate. When you score early it gives you a chance to relax a little bit.”

It also helps when your pitcher throws a no-hitter and strikes out 10.

“Jessica threw a great game,” said Heidger. “She only walked two and allowed no hits in the shutout.

She hit her spots and mowed people down. The defense was solid behind her too. Destiny (Riley) had a nice backhand flip for an out to rob a hit. It was a good way to start the game.”

The Lady Wildcats scored three in the first and five in the second to set up the quick win, capping the game with two more in the third while collecting 11 hits in the game.

In the first, Lindsey Brandt opened with a single and Darby Nolting followed suit, giving Linn runners on the corners for Rachel Keilholz, who posted an RBI-groundout as Brandt came home.

That started the onslaught, as J. Keilholz doubled to drive in Nolting, and an Aushara Hostetler single scored Keilholz.

Riley singled to lead off the second inning, and Autumn Baker posted a single. Brandt hit a sac-fly to move Riley to third, and Nolting hit a bunt single to load the bases.

R. Keilholz drew a walk to score Riley, and a J. Keilholz double drove in both Baker and Nolting.

Hosteler hit her second single, which scored R. Keilholz, and with two outs, J. Keilholz scored on a wild pitch to give Linn an 8-0 lead.

In the third, Baker drew a one-out walk and stole second, moving to third and then scoring on an error.

Brandt hit another single and came home on an R. Keilholz line-drive single to right.

Of the 11 hits Linn recorded, Nolting, Brandt, J. Keilholz and Hostetler each had two, while Riley, Baker and R. Keilholz posted one each.

Linn travels to Columbia today (Wednesday) to play Father Tolton in the sectional with a 5 p.m. start time.

“They have a good pitcher who will throw a lot harder than we saw at districts,” said Heidger. “We have good hands and can hit the ball. It’s just a matter of will we be able to do it.

Hitting has been feast or famine, and I hope against Tolton we come out swinging.

We’re going to have to be selective though. We’ll have to adjust.”

On the rubber, Heidger is optimistic.

“Jessica is pitching well right now and she’ll need to keep them off balance,” said Heidger. “Our defense will have to play solidly behind her as well.”

Against Cuba, the Lady Cats claimed a 9-3 win in the first round on Thursday.

“We knew their pitching was slower than we were used to so we worked on that in practice but it still took us a bit to get going,” said Heidger. “We were popping the ball up early.

It’s frustrating and wears on your team facing that slower speed. We were anxious and chasing bad pitches.”

Despite the slower speed, Linn still held a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, and that’s when the bats woke up.

The girls sat back and waited and made good contact and finally started pounding the ball,” said Heidger.

Riley Senevey was hit by a pitch, and D. Riley offered a sacrifice to move Senevey, but an error allowed the former to get to first, and the latter to reach third. A second error allowed Senevey to score, and Riley moved to second.

A Baker sacrifice pushed Riley to third, and then Brandt drew a walk. She moved to second on defensive interference, and Nolting single to plate both Riley and Brandt. However, Nolting was thrown out trying to make it to third.

J. Keilholz singled to restart the cycle, and moved to second on a J. Keilholz single. Both moved up on an error, the former scoring, and Hostetler walked.

Abby Klebba delivers a grounder through the middle for a single to plate J.

Keilholz to make it a 7-0 game, and the next two batters, Senevey and Riley, walked, pushing Hostetler home.

In the sixth, Linn gave up one run and then allowed two more in the seventh.

“All that happened with two outs, and in that position you should be coasting and relaxed,” said Heidger.

“We’re going to work on that in practice. We just need to finish the game strong.”

Linn’s final run came in the bottom of the sixth for the final 9-3 score.

The Lady Wildcats posted seven hits on the day, with three of them coming from Nolting, as Brandt added two, and Klebba and J. Keilholz each had one.

J. Keilholz allowed two earned runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks.