Wilkins, Steele and Graphos Spark Bucs on Thursday

TUSCALOOSA - Sophomore right hander JD Wilkins took the mound in a tough spot against Coastal Alabama South on Thursday. 

Wilkins took the mound with the bases loaded and no outs in a tie game in the top of the third inning.

Wilkins got Bryce Speakman on a line out to third baseman Brady Waugh and then got Joseph Stephens to roll into an around the horn double play to end threat. 

The momentum carried over to the bottom of the inning as the Bucs scored three runs to take a 5-2 lead.

Sophomore LF Trenton Shirley broke the tie with a two-run double to centerfield. Shirley later scored on an error to extend the lead.

Coastal South (20-18, 16-6 ACCC) scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the deficit to 5-4 before the Bucs offense scored the final nine runs for the 14-4 run rule win.

Wilkins (4-3) pitched the final four innings for the win.

Shelton State (31-9, 15-7 ACCC) scored four runs in the fifth and five in the sixth for its 34th straight win when scoring 10 or more runs.

Sophomore DH Mason Steele hit a towering three-run home run to cap the fifth inning. It was his fifth of the season. 

Sophomore catcher Lawson Neel plated the first run in the inning with a bunt single. 

The Bucs closed out the game with five runs in the sixth inning. 

Sophomore shortstop Slade Sullivan drove in the first run with an RBI double. 

Neel's safety squeeze bunt pushed the lead to 11-4. Sophomore 1B Tripp Gann scored on a passed ball to make it 12-4.

Sophomore CF Pierce Dutton and freshman 2B James Graphos followed with back-to-back RBI doubles to complete the run-rule win.

Graphos had three doubles and three RBIs in the win. He had four extra base hits and four RBIs in the doubleheader.

Coastal South took a 2-0 lead on Kennedy Leggett's two run double in the first inning.

Graphos answered with a two-run double in the bottom of the frame to tie the game.

Coastal Alabama scored four runs in the sixth inning to post a 6-4 win in game one.

Devon Murphy was a one man show for the Coyotes. He snapped a 4-4 tie with a two-run double to left to give Coastal the lead.

Murphy tripled and scored in the first and belted a solo home run in the third. He had five hits, four runs and three RBIs in the two games.

Trailing 1-0, the Bucs scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead. 

Graphos drove in the first run with a triple and Shirley brought him home with a sac fly. Freshman C Grant Browning added a two-out RBI single.

Shelton State pushed the lead to 4-1 in the second inning when Dutton was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a throwing error.

Talan Tourello (2-0) picked up the win despite allowing four hits, four hit batted and three walks.

Trevor Ferris worked two scoreless innings for his seventh save.

Sophomore RHP Jeremy O'Quinn (0-1) took the loss. 

The series shifts to Bay Minette on Saturday, April 12 with a Noon doubleheader.