Big Innings; Dominant Pitching Helps Bucs Sweep PSC

TUSCALOOSA - The No. 9 ranked Shelton State baseball team rode big innings on offense and dominant pitching to sweep Pensacola State, 10-5 and 8-0, on Friday afternoon.

Shelton State (11-2) blew open two close games with a pair offensive explosions in the late innings.

Leading 2-0 in game one, the Bucs erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to break open a close game.

Freshman third baseman Slade Sullivan started the inning with a base hit. Sophomore shortstop Paxton Ponder reached when the Pirates misplayed his sacrifice bunt. Sophomore catcher Lawson Neel walked to load the bases. 

Sophomore right fielder Mason Steele drove in the first run with a single to right. With one out, sophomore center fielder Pierce Dutton drew a bases loaded walk and freshman second baseman James Graphos added an RBI single to make it 5-0.

Sophomore second baseman Brexton Taft delivered a two-out grand slam to push the lead to 9-0.

Pensacola State (12-6) answered with five runs in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to 9-5. The Pirates took advantage of two walks and one hit batter before Will Barter's grand slam made it 9-5.

The Bucs added a run in the eighth inning when Neel singled, took third on sophomore left fielder Trenton Shirley's double, and scored on a sac fly by Graphos.

Shelton State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Steele was hit by a pitch and later scored on a passed ball. 

The Bucs made it 2-0 in the sixth when Dutton had a leadoff double to left and scored on a base hit by Graphos.

Freshman Eli Driskill (1-0) recorded his first career win with four scoreless innings. 

Matteo Pare (3-1) allowed six runs in six-plus innings to take the loss.

In the nightcap, freshmen Konnor Keplinger and Payton Zupancic combined on the 5-hit shutout and struck out nine.

Keplinger (2-0) tossed four scoreless innings for his second win. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out five.

Zupancic tossed three scoreless innings for his second save. He allowed two hits and struck four. 

It was the fourth shutout of the season for the Bucs.

Justin Hoff (3-2) took the loss for Pensacola. 

Shelton State scored a run in each of the first two innings to grab a 2-0 lead. 

Shirley doubled and scored on Dutton's sac fly in the first inning. Freshman John Robicheaux drew a lead off walk and scored on Ponder's two-out bunt single. 

The Bucs broke the game open with four runs in the fifth inning. 

Sophomore catcher Skyler Smith had a leadoff single. After two quick outs, Dutton singled up the middle and Graphos walked to load the bases.

Steele delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single to right to push the lead to 4-0. Freshman DH Jackson Henderson added a two-run double to make it 6-0.

The Bucs tacked on two more runs in the sixth to make it 8-0. Ponder walked and later scored on a passed ball. Smith walked and scored on Shirley's RBI double.

Sullivan, Graphos and Shirley all had four hits in the double header. Sullivan had four hits in game one. Shirley had three doubles and one RBI. Graphos had three RBIs and scored two runs.

Steele added two hits, three runs scored and three RBIs. 

Shelton State and Pensacola State will play another double header on Saturday at Noon.