With three wins going into Saturday’s final round-robin game against Salem, Linn had already clinched its home invitational softball championship, but Coach Renee Heidger would rather have had a different outcome int he finale.

“We came out very flat,” she said of the 13-3 loss.

“I’m not sure if it was because we knew the championship was wrapped up, or because we had a seven-hour break between the first game of the day and this one. What ever the reason, we did not hit or play any defense behind our young pitcher, Aushura Hostetler. That’s too bad, because she threw a good game.”

Salem scored early, with a run in the first and four in the second, adding three more in the fourth, and runs across the next three innings.

Linn, meanwhile, scored all three of its runs in the third.

Lindsey Brandt singled to start the rally, and advanced to third on an error. A double by Riley Senevey plated Brandt, and Senevey came home on a Rachel Keilholz two-bagger. Keilholz moved to third on a groundout, and then Hostetler brought her home with a sac-fly.

From the circle, Hostetler allowed six earned runs on 10 hits over seven innings, while striking out one and walking five.

Consistent scoring proved to be the difference but it was a near thing as Linn held to a five-run lead in the sixth inning and held on for a 6-5 victory over Russellville in Saturday’s first game.

“This was a great game, as both pitching and defense were solid,” said Coach Heidger. “We hit their pitcher much better then we did the first time we played them.”

Linn collected 10 hits in the game, and held a 6-1 lead going into the seventh, but the Lady Indians staged a comeback that nearly tied the game, scoring four runs in the top of the inning.

“We had a tough last inning defensively,” said Heidger. “A couple hits and some mistakes let them back in it, but we settled down and finished it.”

Trailing 1-0 in the first, Brandt scored on a passed ball to tie it up.

Linn surged ahead in the fourth with a Hostetler single and walk to Macy Branson leading to the first run as a Destiny Riley plated the former after she moved up on a passed ball.

Autumn Baker singled to left to score Delaney Schmidt, who had entered the game as a pinch runner for Branson, and Linn led 3-1. After a Brandt single, Senevey hit into a fielder’s choice that brought Riley home for a 4-1 edge.

The Lady Wildcats continued to find opportunities as Jessica Keilholz reached on an error to lead off the fifth, and came home on a Hostetler double. In the sixth, with two outs on the board, J. Keilholz singled with two outs, pushing Senevey (single) to second, and a Hostetler single brought Senevey around to score the sixth run.

Hostetler’s 3-4 performance led the team, as J. Keilholz and Riley each posted two hits, and Senevey, Brandt and Baker finished with one apiece.

J. Keilholz went the distance, allowing two earned runs on nine hits with a pair of walks.

Linn opened the tournament Friday with a pair of wins, the first a 4-2 win over Capital City.

“This was a tough, close game,” said Heidger. “They really have a nice pitcher, but Jessica really threw a great game for us.”

Linn trailed 1-0 going into the fifth but Brandt drilled a home run to left to tie the game.

“That took the pressure off and we were able to score again to take the lead in the sixth,” said Heidger.

In the sixth, the Lady Cats moved ahead after a solid inning. R. Keilholz was hit by a pitch to start the frame, and J. Keilholz tripled to left to score her sister. Two batters later, Riley singled to bring home J. Keilholz and Linn held a 3-1 lead.

After Capital City scored in the next inning, Linn came back in the top of the seventh an added an insurance run. With two outs, R. Keilholz tripled and then scored on an error.