4-16-2024 2:24am

SOFTBALL: Saline Routes Skyline, 15-1

ANN ARBOR - Unbeaten Saline picked up another SEC Red victory, routing Skyline, 15-1, in Ann Arbor Monday.

Sydney Hastings, Izzy Deveau, and Mackenzie Shelton each had two hits to lead the Hornets, who had 12 hits of Skyline pitching in a game called after five innings.

Senior Karli Dorr and Sophomore Harper Grambau each pitched two perfect innings, barely letting the Eagles touch the ball. Dorr struck out five of six batters she faced and Grambaui struck all six batters she faced. Sophomore Jessica Phelps pitched the fifth, giving up an unearned run and striking out two.

The game began with the Hornets going 1-2-3 in the top of the first. Dorr struck out the side in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the second, sophomore Reese Rupert battled back from an 0-2 count and fouled off another pitch before homering over the fence in center field. It was her second homer of the season. Saline carried the 2-0 lead into the bottom of the inning when Dorr struck out the first two batters and retired the third batter on a ground ball back to the pitcher.

In the third, Saline blew the game open. Lily Evens singled, stole second and scored on Hastings' line drive single to second. Hastings stole second and took third on a passed ball before scoring on a wild pitch. Dorr walked. Phelps came in as the courtesy runner and stole second before scoring on Izzy Deveau's hard double to center. Rupert reached base on an outfield error and then Clara Cherry brought home two runs when her line drive to right was dropped. Cherry scored when Ashley Malinczak grounded out to first.

Grambau took over as pitcher in the third. She retired the side with three strikeouts on 10 pitches.

The Hornet offense went back to work in the fourth. With one out, Hastings singled to left. She advanced to third on an error and scored on Grambau's single to right. Grambau advanced to second on a ground out and then took third on a passed ball. She scored on Shelton's line drive single to center. Junior Elizabeth Thibault doubled to left, scoring Shelton, and then she took third on an error. She scored on Malinczak's single to right. She scored on Ava Stripp's triple to the wall in centerfield. Saline led 12-0.

Grambau struck out the side again in the bottom of the fourth.

In the fifth, sophomore Casey Griffins led with a walk. She took third when Grambau reached on an error at first. Deveau singled to score Griffin. With runners at first and second, Shelton doubled to center, scoring Deveau and Grambau. Saline led 15-0.

Phelps took over as pitcher in the bottom of the fifth. The first batter reached on an error and took second and third on wild pitches. The next batter drove in Skyline's only run on a ground ball to Griffin at short. After one more single, Phelps settled in and struck out the next two batters.

Saline hosts Tecumseh in a doubleheader at home on Wednesday.