NEW BLOOMFIELD - It was a pretty good indication the Linn Wildcats were going to have a positive result Tuesday when you consider Ryan Mantle and Eathan Hickey were both 2-for-2 with three RBI - in the first inning.
The Wildcats exploded for 12 runs in that frame and went on to steamroll the Tipton Cardinals 17-4 in the championship game of the Class 2 District 8 Tournament.
It means the Wildcats won't get to spend Memorial Day lounging by the pool, as they'll be hosting a sectional contest that day against the winner of District 7. The start time for the game won't be determined until that district crowns a winner Thursday.
"It was like the ball was the size of a volleyball," said Hickey, who ended up 4-for-4 with four RBI. "I felt really comfortable in there."
The win improved the Wildcats to 19-4 and gave them their first district title since 2009.
Tipton, the second seed in the district, scratched across a run in the top of the first when Ryan Wood smacked a two-out single and moved over on a balk. He then came home on an RBI single by David Richardson.
Looking to answer back, top-seeded Linn did so in a big way - sending 17 batters to the plate in its half of the first.
After Cameron Laughlin beat out an infield single, Mantle followed and crushed a home run over the left-field fence.
It jump-started an inning where seven of the nine Wildcats had a hit, an RBI, or both.
"One guy gets a hit and that gives the next guy a bunch of confidence," Mantle said. "We really didn't have any rally-killers. We always had guys on base."
It wasn't just Mantle and Hickey who had a big first inning. Ben Klebba had a two-run single, Tony Mebruer had a two-run double, Daulton Niederhelm had an RBI single and Blake Snyder drove in a run.
"(Tipton) got on top early, so I'm just proud the boys went out in the bottom half and did what they did," Linn coach Colby Nilges said. "That's always been our game plan this year - get up early and score often. We're definitely capable of hitting around every inning, so it's just try to keep your composure, put quality at-bats together, see a lot of pitches and put the ball in play."
Despite sitting for what seemed like an hour, Klebba, the Linn starter, went back out in the top of the second and put Tipton down 1-2-3. The Wildcats came right back and added two runs to their total on a sacrifice fly by Laughlin and a solo home run by Alec Shoop.
The Wildcats, who scored every inning they batted, added a single tally in the third on an RBI double by Niederhelm to make it 15-1.
After Tipton scored two runs on three Linn errors and one hit in the top of the fourth, the Wildcats closed out their scoring with two in the bottom of that frame. The first came on a solo homer by Mantle that ended up close to the same spot as his first dinger.
"That wind helped," Mantle said modestly, referring to the healthy breeze that blew all game long.
Later in that inning, Hickey closed out his near-perfect day with an RBI single.
"It's all about picking each other up," Hickey said of the Linn offense. "That's all we have to do."
Mantle came on in relief in the fifth and picked up four strikeouts in the inning as the Wildcats ended it early due to the run rule. Tipton did score one run thanks in part to a dropped third strike and an error.
Mantle ended up 3-for-4 with four RBI, Niederhelm was 2-for-3 with two RBI and Shoop was 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Klebba, who got the win, needed just 40 pitches to get through his four innings. He allowed three runs, just one of them earned, on three hits while striking out one.
"Ben is probably the most disciplined kid I know," Nilges said. "He can come in and sit down for half an hour (like in the first inning), go back out and get loose and be the same robot he was before. He's pitched like that all year. We kind of see him as our secret weapon, although people are catching on the more we throw him."
Tipton starter Dylan Cooper took the loss, lasting just one-third of an inning. He gave up six earned runs on four hits and two walks. Logan Hirst followed and also gave up six earned runs on four hits and two walks, getting the final two outs of the first. Dylan Tate pitched the final three innings, giving up five earned runs on seven hits and one walk.
Linn will now get ready for either Harrisburg or Westran, which will play for the District 7 title.
"Let's hope we've got something left," Mantle said with a laugh. "I hope we saved some runs for the next one."