The Linn-Mar Lions exploded for 31 runs Tuesday and took sole possession in the race for the Valley Division title in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

The Lions belted Waterloo West, 12-1 in five innings and 19-4 in four innings, at the Linn-Mar baseball complex.

Justin Wyant pitched a no-hitter in the 12-1 victory.

Linn-Mar raised its records to 16-6 in the Valley Division and 21-12 overall. The Lions have a one-game lead on Prairie (14-6) in the Valley Division. Prairie was postponed Tuesday and was scheduled to play a makeup twinbill at Dubuque Senior on Wednesday.

Mitch Stickney collected three triples and drove in four runs for Linn-Mar in the first game. Nick Jennings and Brandt Ollinger hit home runs.

Ollinger belted another home run and drove in four runs in the second game. Tyler Kane hit a three-run homer as a pinch-hitter.

Stickney and Jimmy Roth hit triples in Game 2. Stickney drove in four runs. Austin Stroschein went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Jack Strellner also drove in two runs.

GAME 1

WATERLOO WEST (1): Evans, dh, 2 0 0 0, Wellner, rf, 0 0 0 0, Draeger, 1b, 0 0 0 0, Anderson, ph, 1 0 0 0, Fricke, ss, 1 0 0 0, Ohrt, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Conrey, p, 2 0 0 0, Ubbelohde, c, 2 0 0 0, Ticknor, lf, 2 0 0 0, Price, cf, 1 0 0 0, Medina, 2b, 1 1 0 0. Totals 14 1 0 0.

LINN-MAR (12): Mortensen, cf, 4 2 2 0, Strellner, ss, 3 2 0 0, Stickney, rf, 4 3 3 4, Jennings, lf, 1 1 1 2, Stroschein, dh, 2 0 0 0, Roth, 2b, 3 1 1 1, Banks, c, 3 0 2 0, Ollinger, 3b, 3 1 1 2, Wyant, p, 3 0 1 0, Kane, 1b, 1 1 0 0, Niemeyer 0 1 0 0, Bettmann 0 0 0 0, Larson 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 12 11 9.

Waterloo West   001 00 - 1 0 4

Linn-Mar        620 04 - 12 11 0

Conrey, Medina (5) and Ubbelohde. Wyant and Banks. W - Wyant. L - Conrey. 2B - Mortensen, Banks. 3B - Stickney 3. HR - Jennings, Ollinger. SB - Mortensen, Roth.

GAME 2

WATERLOO WEST (4): Evans, dh, 3 1 3 1, Wellner, rf, 0 0 0 0, Draeger, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Fricke, 3b, 2 1 1 2, Ohrt, p, 2 0 0 0, Conrey, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Ubbelohde, c, 2 0 0 0, Ticknor, lf, 1 1 1 0, Medina, ss, 2 1 0 0, Price, cf, 1 0 0 0. Totals 18 4 5 3.

LINN-MAR (19): Mortensen, cf, 1 2 0 0, Strellner, ss, 1 2 0 2, Gross, lf, 1 0 0 1, Stickney 1 2 1 4, Stroschein, 1b, 4 1 3 2, Roth, 2b, 3 2 1 0, Banks, c, 2 2 0 0, Ollinger, 3b, 3 3 3 4, Kane, ph, 1 1 1 3, Larson, rf, 1 1 0 0, Bradley, dh, 3 2 1 0, Jennings, ph, 0 1 0 0, Bettman, p, 0 0 0 0.

Waterloo West   002 2 - 4 5 2

Linn-Mar        046 9 - 19 10 1

Ohrt, Ticknor (3) and Ubbelohde. Bettmann and Banks. W - Bettmann. L - Ohrt. 2B - Evans 2, Stroschein, Ollinger. 3B - Stickney, Roth. HR - Ollinger, Kane. SB - Price, Bradley.