Saline Improves to 4-0 By Sweeping Ypsilanti

The Saline Hornets improve to 4-0 on the young varsity softball season Thursday, sweeping a doubleheader at home to Ypsilanti.

The Hornets came from behind to win the opener, 4-2, and then beat up Ypsilanti, 9-1, in the nightcap.

Sophomore Kristina Zalewski struggled with nerves in the first inning of the opening game but was almost untouchable from then on in the first game.

Ypsilanti loaded the bases with two outs and scored a run on a slow-rolling infield single and another on a pitch that skipped behind catcher Sarah Tommelein.

“I think I might have been a little nervous in the first inning and maybe a little tight. But I settled down and I got good defense behind me and were able to come back,” said Zalewski.

Over the next six innings, Zalewski allowed just one hit and one walk, striking out 11.

After two innings, shortstop Chelsie Leathers was the only Hornet with a hit. In the bottom of the third, Saline finally got it rolling. Lexi Adams led off with a walk. Angel Schilke followed with a triple into the left-centerfield gap to make it 2-1. She scored to tie the game on a sacrifice fly by Rachel Gould.

The Hornets were buzzing again in the bottom of the inning. Lauren Vaccaro’s flyball eluded an Ypsilanti outfielder and she was safe at second. After Lindsey Moore flew out to center, Leathers stepped up to plate. Vaccaro took third on a wild pitch. Leathers then laid down a bunt and was safe at first as Vaccaro stayed at third. Zalewski followed with a walk to load the bases, but the catcher’s throw back to the pitcher bounced into the outfield and Vaccaro scored what proved to be the winning run.  There were now runners at first and third. A pinch runner stole second and Schilke stroked a single to center to drive in Saline’s fourth and final run.

Zalewski mowed down the Ypsilanti hitters the rest of the way, although she benefitted from two terrific catches by rightfielder Lexi Adams in the top of the sixth. One of those running catches robbed an Ypsilanti hitter of an extrabase hit. In the fifth inning, Rachel Gould showed soft hands and a strong arm to gun down an Ypsilanti base runner who’d hit a slow roller to third.

The Hornets had little trouble with Ypsilanti in game two.

Vaccaro got the start. The freshman scattered 12 hits over seven innings for the victory and limited Ypsilanti to just one run until the seventh.

Saline took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Amy Jadele’s two-run double highlighted a three-run third inning. Vaccaro and Tommelein each had doubles during a five-run fifth.

Friday’s games at Tecumseh were postponed due to weather.