6-01-2014 3:33am

Gallery: Vaccaro, Alexander Lead Hornets to District Championship

The Saline softball team won its second straight district championship Saturday, defeating Monroe 8-2 in the championship game after dispatching Lincoln 14-0 in the semifinal. Saline will play Allen Park in Saturday's regional opener.

The Hornets (39-2) got fierce pitching from ace Laura Vaccaro, hard hitting throughout the lineup, and steady defense.

Coach Alicia Seegert was expecting a 1-0 game. She was pleased by the way her team continued to attack when ahead.

“Jumping on them early set them back on their heels. Laura pitched a great game,” Seegert said. “The thing I liked today is we didn't sit back with the lead.”

Vaccaro is one of several Hornets who played two years ago when the Trojans defeated the Hornets in the district tournament at Saline.

“They are our rivals and we wanted to beat them really bad,” Vaccaro said.

Monroe put a scare into the Hornets in the top of the first. With one out, Vaccaro walked one hitter and hit another one. The next hitter lined a single to right. RF Kaylee Harmon threw a strike to Katie Alexander, who made the tag and held on for the out. Alexander spied the hitter advancing to second. She gunned her down to end the inning.

It was the kind of defense any pitcher would be glad to have.

“My defense always has my back, it's absolutely wonderful. They play with their hearts and heads in it, and you can't ask for anything else,” Vaccaro said.

In the bottom of the inning, with two out, Saline rallied for three runs. Schilke started with a hard single to center. Vaccaro followed with a line single that got behind the leftfielder. Angel Schilke scored and Vaccaro went to second. Katie Alexander followed with a double to left. Alyssa Heren singled to center and Alexander scored when the ball got behind the Monroe centerfielder.

“We just have to take advantage of everything little thing they do wrong, because they're going to take advantage of what we do wrong,” Vaccaro said.

Saline went up 4-0 in the third when Vaccaro hit a solo homer to centerfield. In the fifth, Schilke homered to center to make it 5-0.

In the top of the sixth, Monroe put together three straight singles to load the bases. They managed two runs before Vaccaro slammed the door shut. In the bottom of the sixth, Saline added three more runs. Riley Hecklinski and Olivia Darmos singled and then advanced on a bunt by Layne Bond. Bruley lined a single to left to score one run. Kaylee Harmon, after fouling off four pitches, doubled to left to score two more runs.

Vaccaro retired the Trojans in order in the top of the seventh. In seven innings, Vaccaro gave up six hits, a walk and two earned runs. She struck out six. Schilke, Vaccaro and Alexander all had two hits for Saline.

In the opener, the Railsplitters were no match for Vaccaro, who had a no-hitter going until the sixth inning. She finished with one hit, one walk and 11 strikeouts in the six-inning shutout.

Once again, the Hornets scored early. Sam Bruley led off with a double off the leftfield wall. Kaylee Harmon followed with an infield single. Bruley scored on a ground out by Schilke and Vaccaro brought home Harmon on a sacrifice fly. Saline added two runs in the third after a leadoff walk by Kaylee Harmon and a single by Schilke. Alexander brought home Harmon with a sacrifice fly. Alyssa Heren doubled home Schilke. In the fourth, Layne Bond reached base on an error and scored on Bruley's second double of the game, making it 5-0. Katie Alexander made it 6-0 with line-drive homerun over the centerfield fence. The Hornets blew it up in the sixth. Bruley hustled to reach base on a dropped third strike. Kaylee Harmon singled. Schilke doubled to score both of them. Vaccaro followed with a single. Alexander lifted a long flyball into the wind and over the centerfield fence, making it 11-0. Alexander now has 18 homers this year.

“I was just keeping my mind relaxed. I try not to think about anything and (the hitting) comes naturally,” Alexander said.

Alyssa Heren followed with a line drive over the centerfield fence. The Hornets weren't done yet. Bond reached on an error and then Ashlee Harmon singled. Sam Bruley's third double of the day scored one run, and then Kaylee Harmon drove in Saline's 14th run with a single to left.

With a 10-run lead, the Hornets tried to get Vaccaro her no hitter. But with one-out, a Monroe hitter broke-up the no-hitter with a soft-liner between first and second. Vaccaro struck out her next batter and then retired the next hitter on a pop up.

“I felt good about how I was throwing, it comes down to whether the bats are going to back you up and they did,” Vaccaro said.

Alexander, Vaccaro's catcher, said hitters struggle with Vaccaro's rise ball.

Seegert said her ace pitcher is driven to take this team deep in the tournament.

“She's got a goal. She's going to put the team on her back right now. She knows what she wants to accomplish for this team and she's a team player. She's ready to go,” Seegert said.

It doesn't hurt that the offense piled up 22 runs in two games, providing more evidence for what Seegert has been saying for over a month now.

“I think we're one of the best hitting teams in the state,” she said.