Article by Barry Allen of Bats and Blogs. https://batsandblogsbka.wordpress.com/
BIRMINGHAM – Shelton State scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to post a thrilling 6-5 walk-off win over Delgado to win the 2024 South Regional Championship at Jerry D. Young Memorial Field in Birmingham.
Shelton State (42-17) punched its ticket to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado for the second straight year and third time in four years. The Bucs will be making their seventh overall trip to the NJCAA World Series.
The Bucs never led until the decisive ninth inning. The Bucs trailed 4-0 and 5-3 before posting its third straight come-from-behind win in the regional.
Sophomore first baseman Wesley Helms started the winning rally with a one-out double into the right field corner. Sophomore third baseman Kyle Morrison was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second.
Sophomore shortstop Nick Wilson reached on an infield hit and moved to second on a throwing error by Rhett Certanni.
Helms scored on the play to cut the deficit to 5-4. Morrison advanced to third on the play.
Sophomore Houston Evans ran for Morrison at third base, representing the tying run.
Delgado went to the bullpen and called on closer Brady Schmidt for the second straight day.
Schmidt suffered the blown save and loss in the 3-2 setback to the Bucs on Sunday.
The Bucs got to him again on Monday.
Freshman left fielder Trenton Shirley brought home Evans with an infield hit to tie the game at 5-5.
Freshman center fielder Mason Steele followed with the game-winning single to left field that scored Wilson with the winning run.
The Bucs had three straight last at-bat wins over Southern Union and Delgado (twice) in the regional.
The win over Delgado was the Bucs second walk-off win of the season. Shelton State posted a 5-4 walk-off win over Wabash Valley on March 2.
Steele had the walk-off RBI single in both wins over Wabash and Delgado.
Shelton State freshman Bryant Akridge (2-2), who retired both hitters he faced on four total pitches, picked up the win.
Blaise Lelond (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season after he was charged with three runs in the ninth.
Delgado (41-16) struck first by scoring four runs in the fourth inning.
Walker Bazile drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Dolphins a 1-0 leads. Casey Artigues followed with a three-run double to push the lead to 4-0.
Shelton State got a run back in the bottom of the inning when sophomore DH Hayes Alford drew a two-out walk and scored when freshman second baseman Paxton Ponder reached on a two-base throwing error by pitcher Bryce Pitts.
The Bucs closed the gap to 4-3 in the fifth inning on Morrison's towering, two-run home run to right field. Sophomore right fielder Jordan Evans, who reached on an error, scored on the play.
Morrison's two-run home was his 18th career home run, tying the school's career home run record. Clay Jones (2097-07) and John David Kubiszyn 2015-17) also hit 18 career home runs.
Delgado made four errors in the loss.
Delgado tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on a pair of singles by Jackson Walker and Eli Booth and a sac fly by Josh Eames.
Logan O'Neill followed with a single to center but Steele threw out Booth at home to avoid further damage and set up his ninth inning heroics.
GAME NOTES:
Shelton State (42-17) captured its seventh NJCAA Regional Championship with a 6-5 walk-off win over Delgado.
Shelton State will be making its seventh trip to the NJCAA World Series, including trips in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2021, 2023 and 2024.
The Bucs are headed to Grand Junction for the second straight year and third time in four years. The Bucs are making back-to-back trips for the third time in school history.
Shelton State is the third team to punch its ticket to the 2024 NJCAA World Series, joining Appalachian Regional winner Florence Darlington Tech (51-9) and South Atlantic Regional champs Northwest Florida State (34-19-1). The seven other regionals will be decided throughout this week.
Shelton State posted three last at-bat wins in the NJCAA South Regional. The Bucs scored four runs in the eighth inning to beat Southern Union 6-3 on Saturday. The Bucs scored two runs in the eighth inning on Sunday to defeat Delgado 3-2. On Monday, Shelton State scored three times in the ninth for the 6-5 walk-off win.
The Bucs scored eight runs in their final at-bat in wins over Southern Union and Delgado (twice).
The 6-5 win over Delgado was the Bucs third straight come-from-behind win and 13th of the season.
Shelton State recorded its second walk-off win of the season against Delgado. The Bucs also had a walk-off win over Wabash Valley on March 2. Steele had the game-winning RBI in both games.
The South Regional Championship game was moved from Choccolocco Park in Oxford to Young Memorial Field (UAB's turf field) in Birmingham due to weather.
Helms has a game-high three hits, including a one-out double that kick-started the ninth inning rally. He scored one of the three runs in the decisive ninth inning. Helms had singles in the first and seventh innings and was hit by a pitch in the third.
Morrison became the school's all-time home run leader with a two-run home run in the fifth inning. He has 18 career home runs, tying Clay Jones (2007-08) and John David Kubiszyn (2016-17).
Morrison has 11 home runs this season, tying Tyler Horne (2008) for third most in a season.
Morrison reached base three times on Monday to extend his on-base streak to 48 consecutive games.
Evans went 2-for-5 with singles in the third and seventh innings. He reached on an error and scored one run in the 2-run fifth inning.
Evans and Morrison extended their single season school record for runs scored. Both have scored 67 runs this year.
Evans is the all-time leader with 128 career runs, while Morrison is second with 109 career runs.
Shirley had two hits and one RBI in three plate appearances off the bench. He had a pinch-hit single in the fifth and a game-tying single in the ninth.
The Shelton State bullpen notched two wins and two saves at the South Regional. The bullpen recorded 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Jeremy O'Quinn and Bryant Akridge recorded the two wins and John Michael Pickens logged both saves.
Sophomore RHP Bodie Vail made his ACCC-leading 15th start on Monday. It was his second start in the regional.
O'Quinn, Hayes Atkins and Akridge all pitched in relief on Monday.