MARION – A pair of home runs jump-started the Shelton State offense en route to a 12-4 win over Marion at Scott G. Davis Field on Monday.
Freshman right fielder Trenton Shirley and freshman first baseman Tripp Gann both belted home runs in the win over the Tigers.
Shirley hit a go-ahead, solo home run in the fifth inning to give the Bucs the lead for good at 3-2. It was his fourth home run of the year.
Gann smacked a two-run home run in the sixth inning to stretch the lead to 5-2. It was his first career home run.
After the two home runs, the Bucs offense scored seven runs over the final three innings en route to the win.
Shelton State (21-13) added three runs in the seventh to push the lead to 8-2.
Gann plated a run with a bases loaded walk and sophomore centerfielder Houston Evans drove in a run with a ground out. The third run scored on a throwing error.
The Bucs tacked on three more runs in the eighth to push the lead to 11-2.
Freshman third baseman Landen Ingram and freshman pinch-hitter Will Elrod delivered back-to-back RBI singles. Sophomore Hayes Alford plated the third run with a sac fly to center.
Marion (7-34) scored two runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Devin Howell and Seth Frantz.
Evans was hit by a pitch and scored on a wild pitch in the ninth inning.
Freshman RHP Andrew Thomas (1-0) picked up his first career win. He recorded a season-high five strikeouts in two innings
Five Bucs pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts.
Freshman LHP Hayes Atkins had a season-high four strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.
The Bucs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI groundout by sophomore third baseman Davis Randolph.
Marion took advantage of a pair of errors to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first.
Alford ripped an RBI double in the third inning to give the Bucs a 2-1 lead.
The Tigers tied the game on Howell’s solo home run in the bottom of the inning.
Shelton State remains on the road with a doubleheader at Wallace State-Hanceville on Thursday, April 4 at 2 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
Shelton State has won both games with Marion this season. In addition to Monday’s 12-4 win, the Bucs beat the Tigers 7-2 on March 12. The two teams will play the final game of the season series next Monday (April 8) at 4 p.m. in Tuscaloosa.
The Bucs are 18-4 in their last 22 games, dating back to Feb. 29. Shelton State posted a 16-4 record in March.
Sophomore SS Nick Wilson entered the game at shortstop in the sixth inning and went 1-for-2 with one run scored. His eighth inning single extended his on-base streak to 31 straight games.
Freshman 2B Brady Waugh went 2-for-6 with one run scored in his first start of the season at second base.
Sophomore 3B Davis Randolph went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. He had an RBI groundout in the first inning and singled and scored in both the third and seventh innings.
Freshman 3B Landen Ingram entered the game at third base in the seventh inning and reached base in both plate appearances. He had an RBI single and scored a run in the eighth inning and was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning. The eighth inning single was his first plate appearance since Feb. 22.
Freshman RF Trenton Shirley smacked a tie-breaking home run in the fifth inning giving the Bucs a 3-2 lead. It was his fourth home run of the year.
Freshman 1B Will Elrod collected his first career hit and RBI on Monday. He delivered a pinch-hit, RBI single in the eighth inning.
Sophomore DH Hayes Alford was 1-for-3 with one run scored, one double and two RBIs on Monday.
Freshman 1B Tripp Gann hit his first career home run on Monday as he launched a 2-run homer to right field in the sixth inning. He finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Sophomore CF Houston Evans reached base four times on Monday. He had one double, one walk and two HBPs in the win.
Shelton State used five pitchers in the win over Marion. The staff combined for 14 strikeouts in the win.
Freshman RHP Jeremy Jones made his first career start on the mound. He allowed one unearned run and one hit in two innings of work. He also added one strikeout.
Freshman RHP Andrew Thomas collected his first career and recursed a season-high five strikeouts in the win over Marion. He allowed one run and five hits in two innings of work.
Freshman LHP Salvy Urso worked two scoreless innings and struck out two batters.
Freshman LHP Hayes Atkins recorded a season-high four strikeouts at Marion. He worked 1 2/3 innings and allowed two runs and three hits.
Sophomore Kyle Morrison turned his fifth scoreless appearance of the year. He worked 1 1/3 innings with one hit, one walk and two strikeouts.
Shelton State committed a season-high five errors in the win at Marion.
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