Saline Softball Closing in on SEC Red Title

The Saline Softball team moved one step closer to the SEC Red title after a hard-fought doubleheader sweep over second-place Lincoln Monday.

The Hornets improved to 14-0 in the Red with five games remaining and hold a 3.5 game lead over Bedford and four games ahead of Lincoln.

Saline swept the doubleheader from Lincoln 9-0 and 3-1 Monday. Abby Curtis was nearly unhittable in the circle, allowing one hit and striking out 14 in the game.

A Casey Griffin sacrifice fly in the first inning put the Hornets up 1-0 and that is all they would need behind Curtis.

Saline added four more runs in the fourth and four in the sixth to blow the game open.

Griffin finished with two hits and two rbi, while Gracie Waldrop added two hits and two rbi to lead the Hornets offense.

Reese Rupert added two hits and a run scored, Sydney Hastings a double and two rbi, Curtis one hit, Maddie Bellus a hit and two rbi, and Elizabeth Onyskin one hit.

The Hornets score three runs in the fifth to take the second game 3-1.

Jessi Phelps and Zosia Mazur combined to strike out eight in the circle for Saline.

The Hornets trailed 1-0 in the fifth and put the first two runners on in the inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners up, Ashley Malinczak grounded to short and the ball was thrown away scoring two runs. Malinczak moved to third and scored on a Rupert single to make it 3-1.

Rupert, Waldrop, Griffin, Curtis, Ava Stripp, and Lucy Winters all had hits for the Hornets.

Saline improved to 21-2-2 on the season.