Saline Takes Over Top Spot in Red After Sweep of Dexter

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The battle between the SEC Red co-leaders was just that as Saline took a pair of games from Dexter to take over the top spot in the conference Monday.

The teams entered the game tied for first in the Red with identical 9-3 records, but it was the Hornets that came away with 2-1 and 5-2 wins to move atop the SEC.

The opener was a barnburner that went down to the fianl strike before the Hornets pulled out the win.

Saline went on top 1-o in the fourth when Kriss Sydlowski singled with one out. He stole second and when he tried to steal third the throw went into left field and he ran home for a run.

The Hornets would add a run in the fifth with a two-out single by Sydlowki for a 2-0 lead.

Dexter got one back in the bottom of the fifth when Garrett Sharp singled and stole second. An error at first on a dropped third strike allowed Sharp to score to cut the lead to 2-1.

The Dreadnaughts would threaten in the seventh when Larry Salisbury reached on an error. After a fielder choice, an error moved Sharp to second bae and he stole third with two outs, but a the Hornets Jackson Muir got a strikeout to end the game.

Muir was stellar on the mound for the Hornets with a two-hit complete game with nine strikeouts. He also had three hits at the plate to help his cause.

Sydlowski finished with two hits and a rbi, while Ian Furlong had a hit and run scored.

Sharp and Davis Bennett had the lone hits for the Dreadnaughts. Andrew Cusic struck out five on the mound for Dexter.

Muir ripped a two-run single in the fourth inning of the nightcap to help give Saline a 3-0 lead. He then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.

Dexter would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run single by Sharp to cut the lead to 4-2 heading to the seventh.

Roman Laurio gave the Hornets some insurance with a run-scoring single for a 5-2 lead and the Dreads would go down in order in the seventh as Saline finished the sweep.

Laurio finished with three hits and a rbi, while Muir had one hit and three rbi. Tate Bexeau added a hit and rbi and Reed Muir a hit and run scored. Brandon Wise earned the win with three innings of relief, striking out two.

Sharp led Dexter with two hits and a rbi, while Joey Tessmer added two hits, Bennett and Salisbury each had a hit and run scored.

Conor Sweeny struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings on the mound for Dexter.

Saline improved to 11-3 in the SEC Red and Dexter fell to 9-5. The teams meet up for the third game of the series in Saline Wednesday at 4:30.

Photos by Dawn McCann