Bucs Blast 5 Home Runs; Sweep Gadsden

GADSDEN - The No. 8 ranked Shelton State baseball team blasted five home runs to sweep Gadsden State in an ACCC double header on a frigid day at Lindsay Field.

Sophomore second baseman Brexton Taft capped a six-run third inning as the Bucs posted a 7-4 win in the opener.

Freshman catcher Grant Browning, sophomore DH Mason Steele, freshman right fielder John Robicheaux and sophomore shortstop Landen Ingram all homered their the 12-2 run-rule win in game two. 

Shelton State (22-5, 7-3,ACCC) moves into sole possession of second place in the conference standings.

Gadsden State (16-9, 5-5 ACCC) drops to fifth place with the two losses.

The Bucs spotted the Cardinals a first-inning lead when Brayden Cooper delivered a two-run single to put Gadsden up 2-0.

The Bucs took control of the game with a six-run third inning to grab a 6-2 lead.

Ingram stroked and leadoff single. With one out, Steele doubled to right to put runners on the corners. 

Sophomore centerfielder Pierce Dutton delivered two-run single to center to tie the game at 2-2.

Freshman first baseman James Graphos followed with a single to put runners on first and second. 

With two outs, freshman third baseman Slade Sullivan ripped a two-run double to left center, scoring Dutton and Graphos to give the Bucs a 4-2 lead.

Taft followed with a two-run home run, his third of the season, to push the lead to 6-2.

Gadsden scored a pair of unearned runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 6-4. Jayden Roberts and Aaron Wallace both had two-out RBIs.

The Bucs added an insurance run in the sixth inning when sophomore catcher Lawson Neal had a leadoff double and later scored on a sac fly by sophomore left fielder Trenton Shirley.

Freshman right hander Eli Driskell (4-1) worked five innings for his team-leading fourth win. He allowed four runs (2 earned) and seven hits with three strike outs and two walks.

Freshman right hander Kenneth Diddell faced the minimum in two innings for his second save. 

Gadsden starter Charlie Jones (3-3), the reining ACCC Pitcher of the Week, gave up seven runs on 11 hits in the loss.

The Bucs hit four home runs in the 12-2 run-rule win in the second game.

After a scoreless first inning, the Bucs scored in the next four innings for the 10th run rule win of the season. 

The Bucs scored four runs in the second inning to grab the early lead.

Freshman right fielder John Robicheaux stroked a lead off single. With one out,  sophomore first baseman Brady Waugh reached on catchers interference. Sullivan walked to load the bases.

Freshman catcher Grant Browning launched a grand slam to left center to put the Bucs in front 4-0. It was Browning's first career home run and the second grand slam by the Bucs this season.

Gadsden cut the deficit to 4-2 with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the second.

Shelton State tacked on three more runs in the third to push the lead to 7-2.

Graphos led off with a single and scored on a double by Waugh, who took third on a subsequent error. Waugh scored on a wild pitch.

Sullivan walked and scored on Browning's double down the right field line.

Browning finished with two extra base hits and four RBIs.

Steele and Robicheaux hit solo home runs in the fourth inning to push the lead to 9-2.

Ingram belted a three-run home run in the fifth to make it 12-2. It was Ingram's first career home run.

Steele (2-0) picked up his second win of the season. He allowed two unearned runs and three hits with two strikeouts.

Freshman right hander Will Harrison added two scoreless innings for the save.

Zac Miller (2-1) took the loss after he allowed nine runs in four innings. 

The two teams will wrap up this series with a double header on Saturday, March 22 at 2 p.m