Cover Photo provided by Saline softball and Kari Dorr
What an amazing, busy week for the Saline softball team as the Hornets went 10-0 and finished it off with a 4-0 record Saturday to claim the Anchor Bay tournament title.
The ten wins improved the Hornets to 16-0-1 on the season and kept them undefeated in the SEC Red.
Hits were at a premium in the opener at Anchor Bay Saturday when the Hornets took down Walled Lake Northern 3-0.
Saline broke a scoreless tie in the fourth with a Reese Rupert double that plated Clara Cherry to make it 1-0. Rupert would later score on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.
The Hornets added another run in the fifth when Delaney Lee led off the inning with a double and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0 and that is all Saline would need.
Karli Dorr was stellar in the circle, allowing just one hit and striking out six for the win.
Rupert finished with two hits and an RBI, while Lee and Cherry each had a hit and RBI.
Saline then scored three late runs to break a 2-2 tie and defeat North Branch 5-3.
Ava Stripp broke the tie with a sacrifice fly in the sixth to score Cherry. Saline added two more runs in the seventh and held on for the win.
Stripp led the offense with two hits, including home run and three RBI. Cherry had two hits and an RBI, while Lily Evans and Dorr had two hits each.
Deveau had three hits at the plate and struck out seven for the win in the circle.
Harper Grambau tossed a two hitter and struck out eight for the 5-0 win over New Haven.
Evans had two hits and three RBI and Rupert two hits and two runs scored to led the offense.
Saline took the final game of the day 11-0 over Woodhaven. The team that ended the Hornets season in Regionals last season.
Dorr struck out nine and allowed three hits for the win.
Rupert had another big game at the plate with three hits and four RBI, while Sydney Hastings had three hits and two RBI. Dorr and Lee each had two hits and an RBI and Cherry a hit and two RBI.
Saline swept three doubleheaders during the week to improve to 6-0 in the SEC Red.
The Hornets took two from Pioneer 10-0 and 13-1 Monday.
Dorr and Grambau combined for a one hitter with Dorr striking out six for the win.
Deveau and Cherry each had three hits and two RBI and Hastings two hits and an RBI. Dorr added a hit and two RBI, and Lizzy Thibeault and Ashley Malinczak a hit and RBI each.
The second game saw Dorr and Evans collect two hits and two RBI each and Mackenzie Shelton added two hits and an RBI. Malinczak and Jessi Phelps each had a hit and two RBI.
Deveau had a hit and two RBI and earned the win with six strikeouts in the circle.
Saline then took two from Pinckney 10-2 and 9-1.
Dorr struck out 16 for the win in the opener and had a huge game at the plate with four hits and four RBI.
Cherry added two hits three RBI, Lee two hits and one RBI, and Evans a hit and RBI.
Deveau and Grambau combined for a two-hitter with Deveau striking out three for the win.
Hastings and Stripp ripped home runs, with Hastings finishing with two hits and three RBI, and Stripp the hit and two RBI. Rupert and Malinczak added two hits and an RBI each, while Evans and Cherry each had a hit and run scored.
Saline then swept a pair from Tecumseh 8-1 and 3-2.
Dorr struck out 17 and allowed two hits in the circle for the win.
Cherry had a home run and double and four RBI to lead the offense. Evans, Rupert and Dorr had a hit and RBI each.
Saline used a three run fourth inning to pull out the second game 3-2.
Cherry had two hits and a run scored, while Stripp and Malinczak each had a hit and run scored. Shelton added a hit and RBI for the Hornets.
Deveau struck out two in four innings for the win. Grambau struck out three in relief.