Linn used a sixth-inning breakthrough and strong pitching from Peyton Peters to secure a 3-2 win over Belle in Saturday’s championship game at the Linn tournament.

P. Peters set the tone on the mound, working six innings while allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) with three strikeouts and one walk. He kept Belle from generating consistent hard contact, something head coach Caleb Thomas emphasized after the game.

“Peyton has some fun pitchability for a young pitcher,” Thomas said. “He located multiple pitches and tends to miss a lot of heavy contact.”

Belle struck first in the opening inning for a 1-0 lead.

Linn answered immediately in the bottom half. Jax Kubiak sparked the rally with a double to center after Dawson Sprenger reached, and Peters followed with an RBI double. Aaron Starke then delivered a run-scoring single to give Linn a 2-1 advantage.

Belle evened the game in the fourth, and the teams settled into a pitcher’s duel from there.

P. Peters worked out of a fifth-inning threat after Belle put a runner at third, while Belle’s pitcher matched him by keeping Linn off the board through the middle innings.

The game turned in the bottom of the sixth.

Kubiak opened the inning with a single and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Craig Laughlin lined a single to right field, bringing Kubiak home for the go-ahead run and a 3-2 lead.

Kubiak led Linn at the plate, going 3-for-3 and scoring the game-winning run.

“It was a big offensive game from Jax,” Thomas said.

P. Peters, Starke, and Laughlin each recorded an RBI for Linn.

Sprenger closed the game in relief, tossing a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts to secure the win.

Thomas pointed to the team’s response following a midweek loss as a key factor in the outcome.

“This was a really good team win,” he said. “It’s one of those wins where you hope it’s the foundation of what’s to come. The boys answered a challenge at practice on Wednesday (following the Tipton loss), we hope that’s the beginning for us.”

LINN PAIRS PRESSURE OFFENSE WITH DOMINANT PITCHING IN 5-0 WIN OVER DIXON

Linn backed another dominant outing on the mound with constant offensive pressure to secure a 5-0 win over Dixon in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader.

Starke set the tone early and never let Dixon settle in. The right-hander worked five shutout innings, allowing one hit while striking out nine and walking two. Nash Tyree closed the final two innings, allowing one hit and striking out three to complete the two-hit shutout.

“More of the same from our pitching staff, just competing on the mound night in and night out,” Thomas said. “Every member of our pitching staff has been very impressive this season.”

Starke established control immediately, striking out the side in the first, then piling on strikeouts in each of his five innings to keep Dixon from building any rhythm.

Linn gave him support right away in the bottom of the first.

Gus Peters led off with a single and moved into scoring position before Sprenger lined an RBI double to left for a 1-0 lead. With pressure mounting, Linn added another run when Sprenger broke for home and scored on a steal to make it 2-0.

That aggressive approach carried through the game.

Linn drew four walks and was hit by three pitches, repeatedly forcing traffic and putting Dixon on its heels. The Wildcats also stole three bases and consistently advanced on defensive lapses. “We had aggressive, competitive baseball from our boys,” said Thomas.

Linn extended the lead in the third.

Kubiak opened the inning with a walk and came around to score on P. Peters’ double to left. After a strikeout, Laughlin followed with another double to left, driving in Peters and pushing the advantage to 4-0.

The Wildcats added one more in the fifth.

Kubiak singled to center, P. Peters drew a walk, and Starke delivered an RBI single to right to drive in Linn’s final run.

Behind the offense, Linn’s pitching never wavered. Starke worked through his only real traffic in the fourth, stranding two runners, and Tyree shut the door with three strikeouts over the final two innings.

Linn finished with six hits, getting one each from G. Peters, Sprenger, Kubiak, P. Peters, Starke, and Laughlin.

Clean defense supported the effort throughout, with Linn committing no errors while consistently converting balls in play behind its pitchers.

LINN BACKS PETERS’ NEAR-COMPLETE EFFORT

WITH PRESSURE OFFENSE IN 7-0 WIN OVER DIXON IN FIRST OF TWO

Linn used constant offensive pressure and a near-complete effort from G. Peters on the mound to secure a 7-0 win over Dixon in the opener of Friday’s doubleheader.

Peters worked 6.2 scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out seven and walking three. He worked through multiple threats, stranding runners in scoring position in the first, third, and fifth innings before Tyree recorded the final out on a ground ball.

“Gus pitched his behind off,” said Thomas.

Dixon applied early pressure, putting runners on base in the opening frame and again in the third, but G. Peters consistently limited damage. His biggest escape came in the third when Dixon loaded the bases with one out before he induced a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.

Linn broke through in the second.

Hunter Bish singled to open the inning, and Carter Kempker and Aaron Royston followed with walks to load the bases. With two outs, G. Peters delivered a two-run double to left, clearing the bases for a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats extended the advantage in the third with a three-run inning built on pressure.

Kubiak earned a leadoff walk and came around to score on P. Peters’ single to center. After Starke reached on an error and moved into scoring position, Royston delivered a two-out RBI single. With the bases loaded, G. Peters drew a walk to force in another run and push the lead to 5-0.

Linn counted seven hits and several walks while stealing four bases.

“The guys really answered the challenge from our coaching staff this weekend,” said Thomas. “We were dominant on the bases, advancing on any errand throw or poor effort getting it back to the pitcher.”

The Wildcats added two more runs in the seventh.

Starke singled to open the inning and later scored when Bish reached on an error. Kempker followed with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Bish for the final margin.

P. Peters drove in three runs to lead the offense.

WILDCATS FALL TO CARDINALS

On Tuesday of last week, the Wildcats fell to Tipton, 4-3.

Linn scored a run in the first and two in the second, but the offense stalled after that.

G. Peters opened the first with a walk and moved up on a wild pitch. Sprenger pushed him to third with a single, and Kubiak reached on an error to load the bags. P. Peters stepped into the box and delivered an RBI-double, but the other two were stranded.

In the second, Bish (2-3, RBI) delivered a one-out single, and was joined on the bases by Kempker (walk) and G. Peters (HBP). That put Sprenger in a prime position with just one out. His sac fly plated Bish, and Kubiak followed with a double that plated the other run.

Starke also had a single.

On the mound, P. Peters allowed no earned runs on three hits while striking out seven and walking just one in a five-inning start. Sprenger’s two innings of relief ended with no earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

“We pitched well enough to win, but we had a bad fifth, when we committed all our errors defensively.”