4-10-2024 10:24pm

BASEBALL: Saline Sweeps Monroe to Open SEC Season

Last year, the Saline baseball team suffered a shocking sweep at the hands of Monroe to start the SEC Red season.

This year, Saline got revenge.

Saline defeated Monroe, 8-2 and 5-2, Tuesday at Saline High School The Hornets then went to Monroe Wednesday and won 6-0.

In the series opener, Reed Muir went 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored. Ian Furlong was 2-for-3 with a three-run double. Nolan Kelin went 1-for-2 with a run and two RBI. Noah Reeves was 1-for-1 with a walk and three runs scored.

Starting pitcher Matt Mareno pitched six innings. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks while striking out five. Avery Hayes allowed one run in the seventh.

Saline took a 2-0 lead in the third with aggressive baserunning. Reeves had a one-out single. He stole second and then moved to third on a double by Muir. Klein singled to left, scoring Reeves. Muir then stole home.

Saline added four runs in the fourth.

Austin Abbate scored on Klein's bases-loaded walk. Furlong's three-run double cleared the bases. Saline led 6-1.

Saline's defense helped the Hornets cause in the fifth. Reed Muir made a diving catch in center and then a baserunner was doubled up. The next batter singled which likely would have scored a run without Muir's play.

In the sixth, Reeves walked with one out. Muir hit a home run over the leftfield fence to make it 8-1.

Good defense helped the Hornets again in the seventh. Monroe had already scored and had the bases loaded with one out when a batter lined out to Klein at short. Klein then caught the runner off base at third by throwing to Devin Lilley for the double play to end the game.

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Saline won game two, 5-2.

Abbate went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Furlong went 1-for-3 with a run scored and triple, Muir went 1-for-4 with a run scored, and Reeves was 1-for-1 with an RBI and two walks.

Brandon Wise earned the win in relief, pitching six shutout innings. Wise allowed four hits and a walk and he struck out eight.

Monroe led 2-0 after the first. The Hornets got one back in the bottom of the second when Reeves walked with the bases loaded. In the third, Abbate gave Saline a 3-2 lead with a two-run single that scored Furlong and Matt Bachran.

In the fourth, Muir stole second and third and scored on Klein's sacrifice fly to left. In the bottom of the fifth, Bachran scored on Abbate's single.

Saline completed the sweep Wednesday with a 6-0 victory at Monroe.

Cole Creuzer pitched six shutout innings for the win. He walked three and allowed two hits while striking out four. Lilley pitched one scoreless inning, allowing a walk and striking out two.

Colton Tousa was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Caleb Helmer was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Hunter Easton went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Ian Furlong drove in two runs. Reeves was 1-for-2 with a run and Muir was 1-for-5 with an RBI.