Bucs Toss Two Shutouts against Lawson State

TUSCALOOSA - The sixth-ranked Shelton State baseball team tossed a pair of shutouts in the doubleheader sweep of Lawson State.

Sophomore left handed Konner Keplinger fired a complete-game, two-hitter in the Bucs 4-0 win in game one.

Sophomore right-handers Mason Steele and Jeremy O'Quinn teamed up on a two-hit shutout in the Bucs 8-0 win in game two.

Shelton State (26-6, 10-4 ACCC) has seven shutouts this season. 

The Bucs limited the Cougars to four hits and struck out 14 across 14 innings on Thursday. 

Keplinger (3-0) held the Cougars to two hits in the Bucs first complete game shutout this year. He struck out seven and walked two.

Third baseman Bryson Barnes had both of the Cougars hits. The rest of the team went 0-for-18.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Bucs put four runs on the board.

Sophomore left fielder Hayes Alford drew a leadoff walk and sophomore center fielder Pierce Dutton delivered a one-out single to left. Freshman second baseman James Graphos walked to load the bases.

Sophomore first baseman Brady Waugh delivered the biggest hit of the game with a three-run triple to right to give the Bucs a 3-0 lead. It was his first triple of the year.

Sophomore right fielder Trenton Shirley laid down a squeeze bunt on the next pitch to score Waugh to make it 4-0.

The Bucs managed only five hits, but drew eight walks and one hit batter.

Steele and O'Quinn duplicated Keplinger's performance in game two.

Steele (3-0) allowed one hit in five scoreless innings. He added a season-high six strikeouts and no walks. 

O'Quinn followed with two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, one walk and hit one batter. He also had one strikeout.

First baseman Carson Gillian had both of the hits for the Cougars. The rest of the team went 0-for-20.

The Bucs scored in each of the first four innings to take a 6-0 lead.

Alford and freshman DH Jackson Henderson drew back-to-back walks and Dutton moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.

Graphos followed with an RBI single to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.

Shelton State put two runs on the board in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Freshman catcher Grant Browning delivered a one-out single and sophomore shortstop Paxton Ponder doubled to left.

Alford brought home Browning with a sac fly and Henderson delivered an RBI single to score Ponder.

The Bucs made it 5-0 with two more runs in the third as Browning delivered a two-out, two-run single.

The lead grew to 6-0 in the fourth when Alford was hit by a pitch and scored on Graphos' two-out hit.

Shelton State ended the game via run-rule with two runs in the seventh.

Freshman third baseman Slade Sullivan was hit but a pitch to open the inning and Browning delivered a single to left, his fourth hit of the game. 

Sophomore first basemen Tripp Gann reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Shirley ended the game with towering two-run double to center to make it 8-0.

The Bucs had 12 hits in the nightcap. Browning went 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Shirley went 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Graphos added two hits and  two RBIs.

The series concludes with a Friday doubleheader at Lawson State. The first game begins at Noon.