Morrison Named ACCC Player of the Week

TUSCALOOSA – Shelton State sophomore second baseman/third baseman Kyle Morrison was named the ACCC Division I Player of the Week on Thursday.

Morrison had a phenomenal four games against Lawson State last week, as he reached base in 14 of 15 plate appearances against the Cougars.

He reached base in his first 11 plate appearances against Lawson State, and reached in 13 straight plate appearances dating back to the Wallace Hanceville series.

For context, the Major League Baseball record is 16 consecutive times on base by Ted Williams in 1957.

He compiled an astounding .933 on-base percentage, 1.429 slugging percentage and 2.286 OPS.

Morrison was 6-for-7 (.857) with 10 runs scored, five walks, four doubles, four RBIs and three HBPs in the series.

Morrison is the Bucs first player of week honoree this season, and fourth Bucs player to be honored by the ACCC office.

JD Wilkins (March 4), Caleb Pittman (March 25) and Wilkins (April 8) all earned ACCC Pitcher of the Week honors.

Morrison was named ACCC Player of the Week on Thursday.

Bucs Take Two at Coastal South

BAY MINETTE – Shelton State picked up two wins over Coastal Alabama South on Thursday afternoon at Stanley James Field.

The two games were polar opposites of one another.

The Bucs won a 4-1 pitcher’s duel in the opener and then posted a 15-12 slugfest win in 11 innings in game two.

Sophomore right-hander Bodie Vail tossed a complete game and sophomore third baseman Kyle Morrison added two doubles and three RBI in the opener.

Sophomore shortstop Nick

Wilson ripped a three-run double into the left field corner in the top of the 11th inning to complete the game two comeback. Freshman lefty John Michael Pickens retired all 12 batters he faced for the win.

Pickens, who was inserted into the batting order in the 10th inning, drew a two-out walk and scored in the decisive 11th inning.

Shelton State (32-14, 21-5 ACCC) has won 11 straight games. The Bucs equaled their win total from last season and has exceeded their conference win total.

The Bucs overcame deficits of 6-0, 9-6 and 12-11 in the comeback win.

Freshman centerfielder Pierce Dutton stroked a one-out double to right in the 11th inning. After a pop out for the second out, Morrison was intentionally walked.

Pickens came to the plate for his first plate appearance of the season. He entered the game on the mound with no outs and the winning run at second base in the eighth inning. He was then inserted in the batting order after a double-switch in the ninth inning.

He walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases.

Wilson then slammed the first pitch he saw into the left field corner to score Dutton, Morrison and Pickens to give the Bucs a 15-12 lead.

Pickens (1-2) finished off the Coyotes in the bottom of the inning for his first career win. He retired all 12 batters he faced and struck out six.

Hayden Hill (2-4), who threw 118 pitches in two relief outings on Thursday, took the loss. He allowed four runs and four hits in five innings.

The Bucs tied the game in the eighth on Mason Steele’s infield ground out that scored Morrison to make it 12-12.

Coastal Alabama South (21-21, 18-8 ACCC) got a lead off home run from Darryl Lee in the first inning and scored five times in the second to push the lead to 6-0. Bryce Speakman capped the second inning with a three-run home run.

The Bucs got in the board on Morrison’s solo home run in the third inning. It was his team-leading ninth home run of the season.

Shelton Stare put five more runs on the board in the fourth to tie the game at 6-6.

Steele and sophomore third baseman Davis Randolph both hit solo home runs. Sophomore first baseman Wesley Helms drew a bases-loaded walk and Wilson delivered a two-run single.

Coastal regained the lead 9-6 with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Lee and Speakman had RBI doubles and Jacob Reeves plated a run with a ground out.

The Bucs struck for five runs in the sixth inning to take an 11-9 lead. Helms reached on a fielder’s choice to drive in one run, Wilson had an RBI groundout and Steele added a sac fly.

Coastal also made four errors in the inning.

The Coyotes immediately answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 12-11 lead. Devon Murphy had a two-run double and Caden Mason added an RBI double.

Vail (5-2) dominated the Coyotes en route to a complete game win in the opener. He allowed one run and five hits with four walks and two strikeouts.

He landed 19 first-pitch strikes (26 hitters) and recorded eight one-pitch outs.

The Bucs also turned three double plays.

Shelton State got on the board in the thud inning when sophomore right fielder Jordan Evans was hit by a pitch and scored on Morrison’s RBI double.

Landen Jansen’s RBI single in the fourth tied the game at 1-1.

The Bucs scored three times in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead.

Sophomore catcher Whitt Winfield walked and Dutton was hit by a pitch. Both scored on Morrison’s two-run double to right center. Wilson added a two-out single to score Morrison.

Coastal starter Jaxon Dennis (5-3) took the loss. He allowed four runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings. He also hit five batters.

The series continues with a 2 p.m. double header on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.

GAME NOTES:

Shelton State (32-14, 21-5 ACCC) extended its winning streak to 11 games on Thursday. The 11-game winning streak is the longest by the Bucs since winning 14 straight games from March 26-April 17, 2021.

Shelton State remains in first place in the ACCC Division I standings. The Bucs hold a two-game lead over second-place Snead State (28-15, 19-7) and a three-game lead over third place Coastal Alabama South (21-21, 18-8).

Shelton State turned four double plays and continues to lead the nation with 38 double plays. The Bucs matched their season-high with three double plays in game one.

The Bucs and Coyotes combined for eight runs in the fourth and sixth innings in game two. Shelton State scored five runs in the fourth inning and Coastal South answered wit three runs. The Bucs scored five more runs in the sixth, and again the Coyotes added three runs.

Dutton had 11 plate appearances in Thursday’s double header, including a season-high seven at-bats in game two. He finished the day with three hits, four runs scored and one stolen base.

Morrison continued his torrid streak as he reached base nine times in 11 plate appearances. In his last six ACCC games, he has reached base 23 times in 26 plate appearances.

On Thursday, he was 4-for-5 with six runs scored, two doubles, one home run, four RBIs and five walks.

He has also reached base safety in 36 consecutive games.

Wilson had a career-high six RBIs in the 15-12 win in game two. He had a two-run single in the fourth, RBI ground out in sixth, and game-winning three-run double in the 11th inning.

He went 4-for-9 with one double and seven RBIs in the double header.

Steele hit a solo home run in the fourth inning of game two, giving him a homer in each of the last two ACCC series. He now has three home runs this season.

Pritchett reached base four times on Thursday, including two walks, one double and one hit by pitch.

Randolph hit his first career ACCC home run in the fourth inning. He now has two homers this year.

Vail tossed his second straight complete game on Thursday. He threw a 6-inning complete game against Lawson State last week.

Shelton State has five complete games this year.

Freshman Jeremy O’Quinn made his ACCC debut on the mound at Coastal

South. He worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed one hit, one walk and struck out one.