Bucs Drop Series Finale

NICEVILLE, Fla. - The fifth inning proved to be the difference as the No. 5 Shelton State Community College baseball team dropped a 12-8 decision to No. 15 Northwest Florida State in the series finale on Saturday.

Shelton State (5-2) scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 7-3 lead.

NW Florida State (11-5) answered with seven runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-7.

The Raiders took advantage of three  walks and three Bucs errors in the frame.  

Sam Bradley delivered a bases-loaded triple to tie the game and Nathan Nance followed with a go-ahead single.

Shelton State pitchers walked five and hit two batters in the game and the defense made five errors for the second time this week.

The Bucs scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 7-3 lead.

Freshman catcher Drew Ollis drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Freshman second baseman Ellis Hamiter, making his first start, followed with a bunt single.

A passed ball scored Ollis to tie the game and send Hamiter to second. Freshman shortstop Griffin Rardin was hit by a pitch.

Freshman centerfielder Owen Anchors sacrificed both runs and a sophomore right fielded Heath Henderson lined a two-run single to left to give the Bucs a 5-3 lead.

Sophomore Slade Sullivan followed with an RBI double and freshman left fielder Carson Mann made it 7-3 with an RBI groundout.

Sullivan had a huge weekend at the plate, going 7-for-10 (.700) with four doubles, three singles and one RBI. He reached base in nine of his last 10 plate appearances.

Aiden Torrez (1-0) worked three-plus innings for the win.

Sophomore Peyton Zupancic (0-1) took the loss.

NW Florida State scored three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Bradley had a an RBI single and Nance wrapped a two-run single. 

The Bucs scored twice in fourth to make it 3-2. Sophomore James Graphos drove in the first run and Sullivan plated the second run as he reached on a fielder's choice.

The Raiders extended the lead to 12-7 with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. 

The Bucs closed out the scoring when freshman catcher Aiden Carrizales launched his first career home run.

Shelton State has canceled its Sunday game with San Jacinto due to the projected weather forecast.

The Bucs will travel back to Florida with games against Pensacola State, Gulf Coast State and Snead State.