Linn mixed timely hitting with strong pitching during a 3-1 weekend at the Take the Lake Tournament Friday and Saturday at Ballparks National in Macks Creek.

The Lady Wildcats played a pair of one-run games Friday, falling 5-4 to Class 5 Liberty North before edging Hillsboro 4-3, then broke out offensively Saturday with a 15-0 victory over California and a 10-6 win against Battle.

“Playing all of these close ball games should help us in the future,” Coach Jason Dudenhoeffer said.

Linn opened the tournament against Liberty North and outhit the Eagles 9-7 but came up one run short.

Kenzy Hackmann went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Paige Senevey and Heslie Higginbotham collected two hits apiece. Elli Dudenhoeffer added a hit and an RBI.

Anna Peters worked 5.2 innings in the circle, allowing seven hits and five runs, three earned.

“Had a couple mistakes that cost us,” Dudenhoeffer said. “It was a very good game against a very good big school.”

The Lady Wildcats found themselves in another tight game later Friday against Hillsboro, but this time held on for the 4-3 victory.

Linn took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and after Hillsboro pulled even, the Lady Wildcats scored twice more in the fifth. Hillsboro answered with one run but could not get any closer.

Elli Dudenhoeffer went 2-for-2 with a triple and two RBI, while Emma Starke had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run. Hackmann also doubled, as Linn finished with nine hits.

Starke limited Hillsboro to four hits over five innings, allowing three runs, two earned, while striking out three.

“It was another close ball game,” Dudenhoeffer said. “We came out on top this time.”

Linn’s offense shifted into another gear Saturday.

Starke gave the Lady Wildcats all the pitching they needed against California, retiring all 12 batters she faced in a four-inning perfect game. She struck out four as Linn rolled 15-0.

The offense supplied 15 hits without committing an error.

Hackmann finished 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI, and four runs scored. Senevey had three hits and scored three times, while Starke and Morgan Sutton collected two hits apiece. Elli Dudenhoeffer drove in three runs, while Peters, Starke, and Sutton each had two RBI.

Linn followed with another 14 hits against Battle to complete Saturday’s sweep with a 10-6 victory.

The Lady Wildcats scored in each of the first three innings, building an 8-2 lead before adding two insurance runs in the sixth.

Elli Dudenhoeffer went 4-for-4, while Hackmann finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Hackmann had both a double and a triple. Sutton added two hits and two RBI.

Peters pitched all six innings, allowing seven hits and six runs, five earned.

“Very good hitting day for us,” Dudenhoeffer said. “Our pitchers did a great job all weekend, and we had some hot bats throughout the weekend.”

Linn collected 29 hits in its two Saturday victories and 47 over the four tournament games.

The Lady Wildcats finished tournament play 3-1. The event consisted of five five-team pools with no bracket round, and final overall standings had not been released as of Sunday.