LINN — Keep swinging.

That was the mentality last Wednesday for Bryce Gehlert’s Belle Tigers during the championship game of the Linn Baseball Tournament against Hermann’s Bearcats.

Trailing 6-5 in the top of the seventh inning, a Carter Kinkead double started a string of 13 consecutive Tiger batters to reach base.

This led to a 3-run home run from Kaiden Robertson that helped the Tigers eventually defeat Hermann 15-6.

Down 2-0 after two innings, Belle’s bats finally woke up in the top of the third inning.

Blake Henry deposited a 2-1 pitch over the left-field fence for a solo home run cutting the Bearcat lead in half.

Kinkead then started a two-out rally being hit by a pitch.

A Hank Stratman single set up a two-on and two-out situation for first baseman Zane Strunk.

In the 10th pitch of his at bat, Strunk sent a ball over the left-field fence for a 3-run home run giving Belle a 4-2 lead after three innings.

Hermann reclaimed the lead at 5-4 with a three-run bottom of the fourth inning before Parker Anderson hit his second home run of the game leaving Belle in a 6-4 hole after five innings.

Robertson singled in the top of the sixth inning before a Garret Gehlert double advanced him to third base.

Henry followed with a RBI sacrifice fly scoring Robertson to cut Hermann’s lead to 6-5.

Scoring runs in Belle’s 10-run top of the seventh inning were Kinkead (2), Stratman (2), Kameron Newton, Clayton Shockley, Strunk, Robertson and Gehlert.

For the game, Strunk and Robertson led the Belle offense with four runs batted in.

Gehlert recorded a team-high four hits followed by three hits each from Kinkead, Stratman and Robertson.

Strunk and Henry also posted multi-hit games with two apiece against Hermann.

Two days later at Tiger Field, Belle defeated Hermann 8-6 on a bases-clearing double from Kinkead in the bottom of the sixth inning.