Spencer Shelton - 2010 Graduate - Baseball (Bio at time of induction)Spencer Shelton left Demorest as perhaps of the most effective pitchers in the history of Lions baseball helping Piedmont to unprecedented team success and multiple individual accolades as well.
As a four-year starting pitcher for the Green and Gold, Shelton’s career was highlighted by a 2009 selection as the Pitcher of the Year in the Great South Athletic Conference. Also having been named to the 2007 GSAC All-Freshman team, Shelton was a three-time All-Conference selection during his Piedmont athletic career.
Shelton owns four career records and three single-season marks in Piedmont’s NCAA Era as he is the career leader in games started (46), most innings pitched (298.1), strikeouts (270), and strikeouts looking (81).
Shelton was also on staff for Piedmont’s run to the 2008 NCAA National Tournament, Piedmont’s first such appearance in the NCAA baseball postseason since becoming a Division III member beginning with the 2004 season. It was in the 2008 campaign that Shelton had his best year with all three of his single season records coming during Piedmont’s 34-14 season. Those single-season records included his 15 games started, 88 strikeouts, and 34 strikeouts looking.
In 2008, Shelton was twice named the GSAC Pitcher of the Week on the way to ABCA All-Region accolades and All-American honorable mention. In 2009, Shelton repeated as a ABCA All-Region honoree this time making the list as a junior completing an incredible season on the mound that saw him finish the regular season with a third straight complete game performance defeating LaGrange 4-2 at home in front of a packed house.
Shelton received GSAC Player of the Week honors twice in 2009 with those coming in consecutive weeks including an award on March 29 and April 12.
To go with his time on the field, Shelton earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 2010 graduating Magna Cum Laude after having spent each semester on the Dean’s List at PC during his career.
Following graduation, Shelton signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago White Sox organization making his professional debut out of the bullpen on July 16, 2010 with the Bristol White Sox, Chicago’s Rookie Appalachian League affiliate. Shelton induced a groundout and two fly-outs to keep a clean sheet for the Sox during the 7th inning against the Princeton Rays.
Just two days later, the righty made his second appearance on the mound again coming out of the pen to pitch two and a third collecting two strikeouts while not allowing an earned run with opponents posting just seven combined hits against Shelton in his first two professional appearances.
In all, Shelton made ten appearances during the summer for Bristol starting two games towards the end of the season holding a 3.57 earned run average in just under 23 innings of work. Shelton did not allow an earned run in seven of his ten appearances he made on the mound collecting 22 strikeouts along the way. In his final appearance, Shleton made the quite the impression on the fans with his final start tossing six innings of scoreless baseball against the Kingsport Mets while fanning five and holding the opposition to a paltry .143 batting average.
