MUSCATINE - The only trouble Muscatine High School's softball team had Monday night was closing out Linn-Mar by the mercy rule.

After a six-day layoff, the Muskies showed no signs of rust with their offense.

Coach Dennis Schuur's team compiled 22 hits and all nine starters had at least one hit in a 16-2 thumping of Linn-Mar at Kent-Stein Park in a Class 4A regional semifinal.

"It was a bit surprising because we struggled with the pitching machine before the game," junior Meghan Harris said, "but we came out and hit the ball. Everyone was positive."

Muscatine (34-7) gets Pleasant Valley at home Wednesday in a regional final at 7 p.m. Pleasant Valley, which lost a pair of one-run games to Muscatine during the regular season, upended Davenport West on Monday, 8-1.

The third-ranked Muskies wasted little time in scoring against the Lions.

Kayla Gaunt and Megan Butler strung together back-to-back, two-out doubles in the opening inning off Alexis Kelsey for the opening run.

Muscatine tallied six runs in the second frame after sending 10 hitters to the plate.

"The ball looked like a pumpkin coming in there tonight," Schuur said. "I want them to play with a chip on their shoulder, and they did that tonight.

"We really talked about not waiting until the third or fourth inning to score runs. By getting those runs early, it allowed them to relax a little bit."

Butler anchored the attack, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. Taylor Berry and Erika Wagner belted home runs as the Muskies finished with eight extra-base hits.

"It was a struggle pitching at times, and you can't do that against good teams," Linn-Mar Coach Jon Harms said. "They hit it hard. They've got great hitters up and down the lineup.

"We knew it'd be tough coming in here, but I thought the girls were on their heels a little bit. We looked like a deer in the headlights, so hopefully we'll learn from this experience and improve going forward."

Muscatine, meanwhile, gathered for shaved ice before the game. And when his team came to the ballpark, Schuur noticed a focused and energetic group.

"You could see it in their eyes," he said. "There was a sparkle and a bounce in their step.

"The season is so long and so many games are played in a short period of time, and I think they get bored with it. Tonight was a new season; they were rejuvenated and ready to go."

That said, Muscatine couldn't close out Linn-Mar without playing a full seven innings.

After taking a 10-0 lead in the top of the sixth, the Lions (17-25) scratched across their two runs in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run single from Maggie Rizor.

Muscatine rebounded with six runs and seven hits in the top of the seventh as the visiting team.

"We were just pumped up and ready," Butler said. "We really want to get to the state tournament. There was no bickering tonight. We all got along and stayed positive."

Now, Muscatine is seven innings away from its second trip to the state tournament in as many years.

"If we can carry our bats through like tonight," Harris said, "we should be fine."

Muscatine 161 011 6 - 16 22 2
Linn-Mar   000 002 0 -  2   5  2

Kayla Gaunt and Erika Wagner. Alexis Kelsey, Lauren Swanson (2), Dionna Jensen (5) and Ellie Rizor, Hannah Yearling (2). W - Gaunt. L - Kelsey. 2B - Butler 2, Gaunt 2, Berry. HR - Wagner, Berry.