Dodd, Driskell Dominant on Mound

TUSCALOOSA - Shelton State Community College sophomores Gunner Dodd and Eli Driskell continued their dominance on the mound.

The right handers pitched the Bucs to a pair of wins over the Chattahoochee Valley Pirates on Friday. 

Dodd (2-2) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning in the Bucs 5-4 win in the opener. 

Driskell (4-0) pitched seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 shutout in the nightcap. 

In their last six starts, Dodd and Driskell are 5-1 with 2.09 ERA and three shutouts. They have combined for 39 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings.

Shelton State (12-9, 5-1 ACCC) moved into a first place tie with Wallace Hanceville.

Dodd took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and shutout into the sixth before the Pirates got back in the game.

After three scoreless innings, Shelton State broke through with three runs in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead.

Freshman centerfielder Cody Kropp drew a lead off walk and sophomore second baseman was hit by a pitch. 

Freshman shortstop Griffin Rardin plated Kropp with the first run with a line drive single to left. 

Sophomore right fielder Jackson Henderson followed with sac fly to center that plated Ingram.

Sophomore first baseman James Graphos followed with an RBI to score Rardin to make it 3-0.

Logan Henderson's two-out bunt single broke up Dodd's no-hit bid in the fifth.

The Bucs added two runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-0 lead.

Kropp and Ingram reached on one-out singles. Rardin delivered a sac fly to score Kropp. Graphos had a two-out single to score Ingram.

Chattahoochee Valley scored four runs with two outs in the sixth to close the gap to 5-4.

Brody Pierce had a two-run single and Jendall Jackson stroked a two-run homer.

Sophomore Kenneth Diddell took over for Dodd and gave up a single to Joel James.

Freshman Corbin Hamric took over Diddell and got Henderson to foul out to end the inning.

Dodd allowed four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.

Hamric worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

In game two, Driskell picked up where Dodd left off. 

Driskell held the Pirates to one hit through seven shutout innings and eight strikeouts for his fourth win.

Driskell has shutout No. 1 Jones, Lawson State and Chatt Valley in his last three starts.

Freshman Jarret Scott retired two of three hitters he faced and Diddell got the final four outs for his first save. 

The Bucs are 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA in four ACCC home games, including three shutouts.

The Bucs grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning.  Rardin ripped a leadoff double down the left field line. He moved to third on fly out by Henderson and scored on a sac fly by Graphos.

Shelton State pushed the lead to 3-0 in the with two runs in the sixth.

Graphos and freshman left fielder Owen Anchors stroked back-to-back singles to open the frame. 

After a strikeout, both runners moved into scoring position on a ground out by sophomore third baseman Slade Sullivan.

Kropp then came through with a two-run single to stretch the lead to 3-0.

Brodie Dixon, who tossed a complete game shutout against the Bucs last year, took the loss. He allowed three runs and six hits in six innings.

Kropp had three hits, two runs and two RBI. Graphos addd three hits and three RBIs. Rardin had three hits, two runs and one RBI. 

The series concludes Sunday, March 15 with a Noon double header in Phenix City.