Gallery: Saline Defeats Monroe and Lincoln to Win Baseball District

The Saline varsity baseball team was the overwhelming favorite in this week's MHSAA Division 1 district tournament. Saturday, they showed why, defeating Lincoln, 11-1, and Monroe, 10-0, to win the district trophy and advance to next week's regional tournament at Saline High School.

Saline coach Scott Theisen was pleased with the manner in which the Hornets took care of business Saturday at Bedford High School.

“There's no room for error in a single elimination tournament. You've got to play well from the first inning to the last and I thought we came out and played well both games,” Theisen said.

In the championship game, Saline asserted itself with four runs in the first inning. Joey Sweigart was hit by a pitch and then Thomas Miller and Trent Theisen singled to load the bases. A sac fly by Josh Smith put the Hornets on the board. Michael Hendrickson drove in a run with a ground out. Ryan Blake-Jones drove in Theisen with a single. Brandon Baldus followed with an RBI double.

On the mound, Hendrickson didn't have his best stuff, Theisen said. For that matter, neither did Brett Nearing in the opening game.

“I don't think either Brett or Michael had great stuff. But both gave us a gritty effort without their best stuff.

Anytime you don't have your best stuff you have to battle and get through it and that's what they did,” Theisen said.

Hendrickson gave up six hits and no runs in four innings work. He struck out nine.

In the third inning, Smith hit a one-out double to the wall in right. He took third on a wild pitch. Hendrickson drove him in with a ground out. Blake-Jones singled and advanced on a single by Baldus. Zachary Owings singled to score Blake-Jones for a 6-0 lead.

Saline added four more in the fifth on a double by Blake-Jones, walk to Baldus, two-run single by Owings, single by John Malbone, RBI single by Sweigart and a wild pitch.

Josh Smith pitched the bottom of the fifth, walking one and striking out one.

Nearing pitched for Saline in the opening game. Nearing pitched six innings, striking out 10, walking two, giving up four hits and one run.

Saline opened scoring in the second. Hendrickson was hit by a pitch and Zach Owings brought the first run in with a single.

Saline added three more on a titanic home run over the leftfield fence by Brandon Baldus.

“It was a 3-and-2 count and I'd fouled off a couple pitches. Coaches had been telling me to shorten up my swing in practice. He gave me a good pitch to hit and I put a good swing on it,” Baldus said.

Baldus' shot scored Theisen, who singled, and Smith, who walked.

The Hornets added two in the fourth. Malbone was hit by a pitch. Sweigart walked. Malbone scored on a ground out by Miller. Theisen singled home Sweigart for a 6-0 lead. Saline added two more in the fifth. Baldus and Owings walked. Michael Barnett singled to load the bases. Sweigart walked to score one run and Miller singled home a second run. Saline added three more in the sixth on RBI singles by Baldus and Owings.

Saline faces Lincoln Park in the 10 a.m. game Saturday. The winner will face the winner of the Taylor Kennedy-Dearborn Heights games.

Theisen said his team has worked hard since last summer for the opportunity to have a long, successful post-season run.

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