Shelton State Baseball Wins ACCC Title; Will Host NJCAA Regional

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The No. 10 ranked Shelton State baseball team snagged its third consecutive Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) title with a 7-2 win over Wallace State Hanceville at Jerry D. Young Memorial Field on the UAB campus.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

Shelton State (46-11) and longtime head coach Bobby Sprowl won their eighth overall ACCC Championship on Monday and the fourth in the last five years.

Shelton State will host LSU-Eunice in a three-game Super Regional this Thursday in Tuscaloosa as part of the new NJCAA postseason format. The winner will advance to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

In the win on Monday, the Bucs offense got going with home runs from sophomores Pierce Dutton and former Tuscaloosa County High Wildcat Trenton Shirley, along with a trio of infield hits for its seven runs.

Freshman Gunner Dodd, sophomore and former Hale County High School standout Jeremy O’Quinn, freshman Kenneth Diddell and sophomore John Michael Pickens shut down the Lions on the mound, allowing only two runs and seven hits.

O’Quinn (2-1) threw 3.1 scoreless innings in relief for the win.

The Bucs scored first with a run in the bottom of the second inning after sophomore first baseman Brady Waugh was hit by a pitch and sophomore catcher and Gordo native Lawson Neel roped a two-out single to center.

Bucs sophomore shortstop Paxton Ponder then reached on an infield hit to drive in the first run.

Sophomore Mason Steele followed this up by reaching base on a bunt single, before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Waugh.

Freshman third baseman Slade Sullivan then reached on a bunt single to set up Neel bringing home Steele with a safety squeeze to add to the lead.

After a home run put the Lions on the board, Dutton's lead off home run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-1.

Shirley then extended the cushion with a three-run home run in the sixth to give the Bucs a 6-1 lead.

The Bucs added another run in the eighth inning when Neel — who led the team with two hits —doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Tripp Gann.

Former Hillcrest High standout Jackson Henderson was named the Most Valuable Player of the ACCC Tournament after hitting two home runs and logging seven RBIs.

Shelton State's James Graphos, Dutton, Shirley and Steele also made the ACCC All-Tournament Team.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com