Saturday’s Linn tournament consolation game wound up being a slugfest as the Wildcats claimed a 17-11 victory over Owensville.

Cody Leivian (4 RBI) only had one hit in Saturday’s game, but it was huge. His grand slam — the second of his career against the Dutchmen — came in the second to give Linn a 6-5 lead.

Bobby Winkelman (2-5, 3 RBI) reached on an error to start the second, and Tryten Reynolds also reached by error to put runners on the corners. Gus Peters (1-2) drew a walk, and two batters later, with one out, Leivian smashed the ball to right center.

“That was huge,” said Coach Dan Campbell. “Any time we can get Cody at the plate with men in scoring position, we like our chances. He did a good job taking that outside pitch to right center, which is exactly what you’re supposed to do.”

Curtis Deeken (1-4, RBI) and Eli Baker (2-3, 2 RBI) drew consecutive walks, and Trevor Murray (2-5, 2 RBI) drilled the ball to left for an RBI single. Winkelman also delivered a line-drive hit to plate courtesy runner Zach Dodson.

In the third, Leivian walked with two outs, and Arlyn Martin followed suit. After stealing second and third, Leivian was primed to score. Martin sauntered between first and second, prompting a throw, but he managed to stay alive long enough for Leivian to score Linn’s ninth run before being tagged out to end the inning.

After a one-out hit by Baker in the third, Murray doubled home courtesy runner Koen Caldwell. Three straight walks brought Murray home, and Linn led 11-5.

Owensville scored three in the top of the fifth, but the Wildcats answered with four in the bottom of the frame.

Martin walked, and Deeken and Baker singled to load the bags for Winkleman, who singled to left to drive in two. Peters delivered a single to load the bases again, and Austin Dudenhoeffer (1-3) smacked a double to right field to plate Baker and Winkelman.

Leading 15-10 in the bottom of the sixth, Linn went back to work. Martin drew another walk and scored on the throw when Baker doubled. He reached third on the throw and came home on a balk.

In the top of the seventh, Linn got around a one-out triple and subsequent score to end the game with a 17-11 win, the third of the year for the Wildcats.

“Owensville put the ball in play, and we made a couple of nice plays on defense,” said Campbell. “Peters made a nice play to get that first out in the seventh inning. I told the boys it could have gone haywire. The hardest out to get is that first one, and Gus took that ball in the gut, threw him out at first, and that got us rolling.”

Dudenhoeffer started and went four innings, allowing five earned on three hits with eight walks and six strikeouts.

The game was postponed the previous weekend due to inclement weather, but Saturday wasn’t much better with dipping temperatures and high winds.

“It was a tough day for baseball, but the boys played well,” said Campbell, noting the postponement had an impact. “We played three this week. We were a little low on pitching, but I’m proud of our second-tier pitchers coming in, and Bobby did a great job.”

In three innings of relief, Winkelman allowed two earned runs on six hits with no walks and no strikeouts.

“Bobby didn’t walk anybody,” said Campbell. “He made them earn it every time they got on.”

In action Wednesday at California, the Wildcats lost 5-4.

Linn led 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, but the Pintos plated two for the win.

Leivian posted an RBI triple as Dudenhoeffer (RBI), Winkelman, and Martin each added a hit.

Martin got the start on the mound and went 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, with a walk. Dudenhoeffer, in the remaining two-thirds of an inning, allowed two earned on three hits with three walks.

Against the defending Class 2 champion Russellville Indians on Tuesday, Linn lost 12-1.

Murray’s two hits led the team, as Winkelman, Reynolds, Martin, and Leivian had a hit apiece.

In a four-inning start, Peters allowed five earned runs on 11 hits, with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Winkelman gave up one earned run on two hits with three walks in two innings of relief.