Bucs Take Series; Sprowl Notches 1200th Career Win

TUSCALOOSA - Shelton State won both games of a double header against Snead State, giving head coach Bobby Sprowl his 1,200th career win.

The Bucs posted a 3-2 walk-off win in game one and cruised to a 9-1 win in the nightcap. 

Sprowl becomes the third baseball coach in the history of the state of Alabama to reach the 1,200-win milestone. 

The NJCAA Hall of Famer has complied a 1,200-715 (.627) record in 35 seasons with the Bucs.

Former LB Wallace and AUM head coach Q.V. Lowe (1,242) and current Wallace Hanceville head coach Randy Putman (1,239) are the only other 1,200 game winners from the state.

Shelton State (16-3, 3-1 ACCC) posted its second walk-off win in the opener when freshman second baseman James Graphos delivered a bases-loaded single to score freshman John Ribicheaux with the winning run.

Graphos had the Bucs walk-off hit when he delivered a ninth-inning single to score Robicheaux with the winning run against Pensacola State on March 1.

Robicheaux was hit by a pitch to open the seventh inning. Sophomore right fielder Mason Steele delivered a single to right that sent Robicheaux to third. Sophomore centerfielder Pierce Dutton was intentionally walked to load the bases. 

Graphos fell behind 0-2 in the count before he singled to right on a 1-2 pitch to drive in the winning run. 

Graphos gave the Bucs a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a two-out single to left.  

Steele tripled to right center field and Dutton was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Graphos then lined a single to left to give the Bucs the lead.

The Bucs made it 2-0 in the third when Steele was hit by a pitch and scored on Dutton's double off the center field fence.

The two-run lead seemed insurmountable with lefty Konner Keplinger on the mound 

Keplinger retired the first 14 Bison hitters, with nine strikeouts. 

Snead State (10-10, 1-3 ACCC) tied the game and had the go-ahead runner on base in the sixth.

Carson Smith stroked a leadoff single and moved to second on Caleb Clealand's sacrifice bunt. McLane Mohun delivered a game-tying single to chase Keplinger. 

Sophomore left John Michael Pickens came on and got a strikeout before he walked Ty Sanderson with two outs. He got Gabe Benton to fly out to end the inning.

Pickens (2-0) worked a perfect seventh with two strikeouts setting the stage for Graphos heroics. 

Pickens had a win and a save in the series and struck out six of the eight batters he faced.

Blaze Gearhart (1-1) took the loss for the Parsons.

Graphos jump-started the offense in game two when he belted a two-run home run in the first inning. Dutton, who drew a two-out walk, scored on Graphos' second home run of the year. 

The Bucs broke the game open with six runs in the second inning to push the lead to 8-0.

Sophomore shortstop Paxton Ponder stroked a lead off home run to kick off the rally. 

Sophomore catcher Skyler Smith drew a walk and sophomore Trenton Shirley narrowly missed a two-run home run with a fly out to deep center. 

Steele walked and Dutton singled to load the bases. Graphos drew a bases-loaded walk and senior DH Hayes Alford followed with a two-run single to make it 6-0. 

Sophomore first baseman Brady Waugh drew a walk and freshman third baseman Slade Sullivan stroked a two-run single to make it 8-0.

The Parsons got on the board on Mohun's RBI single in the third.

Shelton State got the run back in the fourth when Shirley singled to right and moved to third on Steele's double into the right field corner. Dutton brought Shirley home with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-1.

Ben Pearman (2-1) took the loss for the Bisons.

Sophomore right hander JD Wilkins (3-1) picked up his team-leading third win.

Freshmen right handers Gunner Dodd and Payton Zupancic combined for four shutout innings.

Dutton (5-for-11, 3 R, 4 RBI) and Graphos (4-for-13, 3 R, HR, 6 RBI) combined for nine hits and 10 RBIs in the series.

Alford was 4-for-9 with two runs and three RBIs. Shirley went 4-for-9 and scored one run.

The Bucs will play again on Monday, March 10 with a 4 p.m. game against Wallace State-Selma. The game will be streamed on YouTube.com and search Shelton State Athletics.