After taking two of three games from second place Dexter, the Saline baseball team is two wins from clinching its second straight SEC Red title.
The Hornets improved to 13-1 in the Red and still leads the Dreadnaughts (10-5) by 3 1/2 games. Saline still has three game series with Huron and Lincoln and will need to finish a tied game with Skyline if necessary, in the final standings.
Dexter handed Saline its first conference loss of the season 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader Monday.
Cooper Arnedt put the Dreadnaughts up 1-0 with an RBI single in the second and had a chance to add more with the bases loaded, but two flyouts ended the threat.
Saline went on top in the third with a sacrifice fly by Brandon Wise and run-scoring single by Colton Tousa for a 2-1 lead.
The Hornets held the 2-1 lead into the seventh but Dexter would rally.
Jack Sayler singled and Noah Pitts followed with a walk. Garrett Sharp came through with a two-run double to put the Dreadnaughts up 3-2.
The Hornets threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Reed Muir and Noah Reeves each singled and with two outs Wise was intentionally walked to load the bases. Dexter got out of it with a foul pop up to end the game for the 3-2 win.
Reeves had a big game for the Hornets with four hits and a run scored. Wise and Tousa each had a hit and RBI.
Sharp led Dexter with a double and two RBI and Arnedt had a single and RBI.
Saline bounced back behind a strong pitching performance from Cole Kreuzer to take the second game 6-0.
Kreuzer allowed just three hits and struck out three in the complete game win.
Ryder Concannon put Saline up 1-0 by driving in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Dexter’s Aidan Cassidy was almost as strong on the mound for the Dreadnaughts allowing just the one run until the sixth when the Hornets broke through.
After a walk and a single, Austin Abbate drove in two with a single. Abbate scored on a passed ball to make it 4-0 and a sacrifice fly and error plated two more to make the final 6-0.
Wise and Nolan Klein had two hits each to lead the Hornets. Tousa had a hit and two runs scored, and Caleb Holmer a hit and run scored.
Saline took the series with an 8-3 win Wednesday.
Dexter took a 3-2 lead in the sixth with a Sayler RBI-single, but Saline rallied in the seventh for six runs.
Reeves had two hits and an RBI, while Abbate and Helmer each had two hits and a run scored for Saline. Wise had a hit and RBI, and Johnny Arvai a hit and run scored.
Cole Novara led Dexter with two hits and two runs scored, while Sayler had a hit and RBI.
Saline improved to 22-3 overall on the season and Dexter sits at 17-6.
Photos by Dawn McCann