Saline Softball Comes Up Short in SEC Red Title Quest

The Saline softball team came up just short in its bid for a SEC Red title after Ypsilanti Lincoln swept the Hornets in a doubleheader that decided the league title.

The Hornets needed one win to clinch the title, but a big rally by the Splitters in the opener and a fast start in the second game denied Saline the title.

Saline took a 4-0 lead in the third thanks to a Splitter error and a run-scoring single by Karli Dorr.

Lincoln began to pick away at the Hornets lead with a run in the third and two in the fourth to make it 4-3.

The wheels fell off for Saline in the fifth as the defense committed five errors and Lincoln would score 11 times to take the opener 14-4.

Grace Munn and Leah Holloway had two hits each for Saline. Dorr had a hit and RBI and Megan Guerard a hit and run scored.

The second game saw Lincoln score five runs in the first and the Hornets would come up short in their rally.

Saline would cut the lead to 5-1 in the sixth and scored a pair of runs in the seventh and had the tying runs on base, but a pop-out ended the game.

Sydney Hastings had two hits and an RBI< while Clara Cherry had two hits, a home run and one RBI to lead the Hornets bats. Dorr added a hit and RBI, Emily Sweetland a hit and RBI, and Holloway one hit. Izzy Deveau struck out four and allowed four hits in 5.1 innings of relief for the Hornets.

The nasty spring weather forced numerous reschedules for Saline and they played 11 games total over the past seven days, including the Lincoln doubleheader.

They opened with a sweep of Dexter 10-6 and 3-0 Monday, May 23.

Holloway led the offense with three hits and three RBI, while Cherry had three hits and two RBI in the opener. Hastings added three hits and three runs scored, and Kaleigh McClelland a triple and two RBI. Dorr struck out seven for the win.

Dorr tossed a two-hitter and struck out six for the win in the second game. Cherry and Munn had a hit and RBI each, Hastings a hit and two runs scored, and Deveau a double.

Saline then swept two from Adrian 10-1 and Jackson 15-0 Tuesday.

Hastings had three hits and three RBI to lead the bats against Adrian. Munn had two hits, a home run, and three RBI, Guerard a double and triple, and an RBI, and Cherry a hit and RBI. Guerard struck out nine and allowed three hits in the win.

Against Jackson, Cherry had two triples, a double, and four RBI to lead the charge. Jillian Whitley added two hits and three RBI, Munn a hit and two RBI, Dorr a hit and RBI, and McClelland a hit and three runs scored.

The Hornets took part in the Battle of Six-Mile tournament in Livonia this weekend.

Saline opened with a 4-1 win over Dearborn Divine Child.

Deveau struck out seven and allowed three hits in the win. Munn had two hits and three RBI and Holloway two hits and an RBI. Cherry added two hits and two runs scored, Whitley two hits, and McLelland a hit and run scored.

The Hornets then took down Livonia Stevenson 7-4.

Dorr struck out seven for the win. Sweetland had three hits, and home run, and one RBI. Delaney Lee chipped in with two hits and an RBI, Cherry a hit and RBI, and Deveau a hit and two RBI.

Saline finished day one with a 7-2 win over Woodhaven.

Munn struck out three and allowed three hits for the win. Cherry had two hits, a home run, and one RBI, while Hastings had a home run and two RBI. Munn finished with three hits, Dorr two hits and two RBI, and Sweetland a hit and RBI.

Sunday saw the Hornets open with a 5-3 win with two runs in the seventh.

Hastings led the bats with three hits and two RBI. Cherry, Deveau, and Guerard had a hit and RBI each.

In the championship, the Hornets faced D1 number one ranked South Lyon and fell to the top-ranked team 10-0. Hastings had the lone hit for the Hornets.

Saline improved to 23-12 overall on the season.