LINN — Concluding pool play in the Linn Baseball Tournament Friday afternoon with an 11-0 victory over Hermann at Tiger Field, Bryce Gehlert’s Belle Tigers advanced to Saturday’s championship game at the Linn High School Athletic Complex against the host Wildcats after winning the pool-play tiebreaker by scoring 13 runs in their two pool games.

After taking an early 1-0 lead with a single run in the top of the first inning, Belle saw Linn answer with two runs in the bottom half of the frame ending inning number one trailing 2-1.

Two hits led to Belle scoring the tying run in the top of the fourth inning before Linn scored the eventual winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning of Belle’s 3-2 loss in the Linn Tournament title game.

Belle got on the board first when Garrett Gehlert was hit by a pitch before stealing second and third base.

Gehlert then scored on a two-out RBI single off the bat of Ryder Butler giving the Tigers the early 1-0 lead.

Linn quickly answered in the bottom of the first inning turning four hits into two runs leaving the Tigers facing a 2-1 deficit after one frame.

Two scoreless frames ensued before Belle was able to tie the game back up at 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning.

Looking to help his own cause, Butler singled with one out before stealing second and advancing to third on a dropped third strike with two outs.

Cameron Rehmert then delivered a clutch two-out RBI single scoring Butler to tie the game back up at 2-2.

Remaining tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the sixth inning, Linn scored their third run of the game on two hits taking a 3-2 lead with Belle down to their last three outs in the top of the seventh inning.

Unable to get a base runner on in the top of the seventh, Belle settled for second-place hardware at Linn.

Butler took the tough-luck loss throwing all six innings allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts.

Helping his own cause, Butler had three of Belle’s five hits in the game while Easton Schroeder and Rehmert had the other Tiger hits.

Lathan Miller also drew the lone walk of the game for the Tigers in the top of the second inning.

During pool play last Friday at Tiger Field, Belle dropped a 3-2 decision against Cuba forcing them to become Bearcat fans before facing them Friday afternoon to conclude pool play.

Hermann defeated Cuba 7-0 which gave Belle a chance to still reach the championship game with a victory over Hermann.

Posting an 11-0 shutout in five innings over the Bearcats, Belle ended up advancing to the title game by virtue of winning the first tiebreaker scoring 13 runs compared to seven for Hermann and three for Cuba.

Calling on Hank Stratman to pitch the Tigers into the title game, the Belle senior earned the complete-game win throwing six shutout innings allowing four hits and no walks to go with eight strikeouts.

Striking first in the bottom of the first inning against Hermann, Gage Terrill, Gehlert, Stratman and Butler all reached base safely before scoring to give Belle’s Tigers an early 4-0 lead.

Chase Trainor scored Belle’s fifth run of the game against Hermann in the bottom of the second inning when he came home on a RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of Stratman.

Adding a single tally mark in the bottom of the fourth inning and two more in the bottom of the fifth, Belle turned to the long ball in the bottom of the sixth inning leading 8-0.

Terrill led the frame off with a solo home run before Butler followed a Stratman single with a walk-off two-run home run giving Belle an 11-0 mercy-rule victory in six innings.

In last Friday’s pool-play opener against Cuba, Belle led 2-0 after one inning before the Wildcats rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning leaving the host Tigers on the wrong end of a 3-2 final score.

Stratman and Miller each had two hits for the Tigers against Cuba while Terrill and Butler also had singles for Belle against Cuba.

Hosting Bourbon’s Warhawks last Thursday at Tiger Field in Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) baseball action, Belle rode the momentum of a 10-run first inning to a 13-0 mercy-rule victory in five innings.

Out hitting the Warhawks 10-2, the Tigers got two hits apiece from Gehlert, Stratman, Butler and Schroeder.

Luke Rohrer, Terrill and Rehmert each also had a hit for Belle.

Schroeder, Gehlert and Butler also drive in two runs apiece for the Tigers against Bourbon.

Taking on the defending Class 3 state champion Fatima Comets last Tuesday at Tiger Field starting a stretch of five games in five days, Belle looked to get a leg up in the seeding process for the upcoming Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3, District 8 Baseball Tournament which will also be played at Tiger Field.

Tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Schroeder led the frame off with a single before being retired on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Terrill. A Gehlert single then led to Stratman delivering a walk-off single giving the Tigers a 6-5 victory over the defending state champions and a good chance at earning the top seed in districts later this spring.

Earning the complete-game win allowing five runs (two earned) on 11 hits a walk and two strikeouts, Gehlert also went 3-4 at the plate finishing a double shy of the cycle with four runs batted in (RBI) and a pair of runs scored.

Rehmert and Stratman each also had a pair of hits for the Tigers.

On the road at California Monday night against the Pinto’s, Belle’s Tigers will host Crocker’s Lions on Friday, April 17 at Tiger Field with a 5 p.m., first pitch.