2021-22 REVIEW: Top 10 moments of the year - No. 8 Unbeaten February and 19-0 start

There were numerous memorable moments in Gaston College's return to competitive athletics in 2021-2022 after a 50-year absence.

However, for sheer late-game drama, few rise to the level of the event that unfolded on a chilly afternoon in late February at Caromont Health Park.

In a Feb. 27 game against Guilford Tech, J.D. Yakubinis stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with the score tied 8-all. The Providence High School product lifted a drive over the left-center field wall for the first walk-off home run of the season, giving the Rhinos a 9-8 win and a 15-0 run through the first month of the season.

As Yakubinis said afterward, "I have never done that before in my life…The Rhinos swept February."

Gaston College's unbeaten season came to an end in March, but not before the team had extended its record to 19-0 and forced the junior college baseball world to take notice.

Furthermore, Yakubinis' clutch hit, which climaxed a rally from an early 6-0 deficit, came to symbolize the resilience and toughness that characterized the Rhinos throughout a season that culminated with a Region 10 West Division title and a 41-7 record.

As he demonstrated that day, Yakubinis proved to be one the Rhinos' most reliable hitters, finishing the season with a .341 batting average with six home runs and 63 RBIs.