Former Autauga Academy star Long signs with Auburn

Former Autauga Academy star Kyrin Long (second from left) was among four players from Shelton State to recently sign baseball scholarships . (CONTRIBUTED)

By BARRY ALLEN

TUSCALOOSA – A trio of Shelton State Community College baseball players, including former Autauga Academy standout Kyrin Long, have signed with a pair of Division I baseball programs.

Sophomore third baseman Walt Bailey, who played at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, and sophomore shortstop Drake Logan of Colorado Springs, Colo., both inked scholarships with the University of Alabama, while Long has signed with Auburn University.

Long started his high school career with Park Crossing and stopped briefly at Marbury before transferring to Autauga Academy. He is in his first season at Shelton State. As a senior at Autauga, he posted a 9-2 record and 1.35 ERA in earning all-state honors. He recorded 77 strikeouts in 78 innings and held opponents to a .196 batting average. He played defensive back on the Generals’ football team that posted a 38-2 three-year record and won two AISA Class AA state titles.

Bailey has played in 69 games in his first two seasons so for the Bucs. He has compiled a .349 (68-for-195) average with 11 home runs and 68 RBIs. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, Bailey hit .381 (51-for-134) with eight home runs and 49 RBIs. He also compiled 1.192 OPS in 46 games. Bailey was fourth in the state in RBIs (49) and walks (34), fifth in slugging percentage (.672), seventh in on-base percentage (.520) and ninth in home runs (8).

Logan has played in 71 games in his two years in Tuscaloosa. He has compiled a .335 (74-for-221) average with eight home runs and 54 RBIs. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, Logan hit .365 (65-for-178) with eight home runs and 49 RBIs. He finished third in the state in triples (3), fourth in RBIs (49) and total bases (106), fifth in hits (74) and ninth in home runs (8).

Bailey and Logan led Shelton State to the 2021 ACCC Championship and a fifth-place finish at the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Bucs finished with a 40-17 overall record.

Bailey hit .400 (6-for-15) with one home run and four RBIs in three NJCAA World Series games. He homered in the win over Walters State, combining with Colby Smelley and Griffin Carroll for back-to-back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning. He closed the season with a 10-game hitting streak.

Logan hit .333 (5-for-15) with one home run and five RBIs at the NJCAA. He belted a first-inning grand slam in the Bucs 13-7 win over Walters State in the tournament opener. He had a nine RBI game in the Bucs 14-0 win over Coastal Alabama North in the opening game of the ACCC Tournament in Dothan.