Gaston College keeps its momentum going in road win at Caldwell Tech

Coming off a huge weekend in which Gaston College earned a doubleheader split with National Junior College Athletic Association national power Walters State, coach Shohn Doty wondered how his team would respond to a midweek game on the road.

Doty got his answer in the first two innings Wednesday against Caldwell Tech at Walker Stadium in Lenoir.

The Rhinos showed their firepower by striking for three runs in the first inning and six more in the second, setting the tone for a 12-2 win in seven innings over the Cobras, who were ranked No. 5 in the NJCAA Division III poll and were off to a 2-0 start this season.

Led by Wade Kelly (3-5, three runs) and Preston Hall (3-5, three RBIs), Gaston College unleashed a 14-hit attack on the Cobras and put the game away early.

Trey Truitt and Andrew Muraco hit home runs to lead the six-run second inning scoring spree. Truitt went 2-3 for the game with three RBIs. Also with two hits were Adam Quintero (2-4, two RBIs) and Enrique Wood (2-4, RBI).

On the mound, four Rhinos pitcher combined on a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Starter Hunter Shew recorded five strikeouts in his two innings of work. Jason Mangum came on the third and pitched hitless ball for two innings to get the win. David Sande (two innings) and Alex Jankowski (one inning) finished up out of the bullpen.

"Overall, this was probably our most complete game of the year," Doty said after the Rhinos improved to 6-1. "I thought we put some really good at-bats together in the first inning, and it carried over every inning."

As for the performance of the Gaston College pitching staff against a highly regarded Region 10 club, Doty said, "Anytime you hold someone to two runs in this ballpark, it is a pretty big deal. We threw a lot of strikes, we challenged hitters, and we didn't walk anybody. That's a recipe for success."

Doty said the Rhinos displayed "a really mature approach to a midweek game coming off a big day on Sunday."

On defense, the Rhinos played error-free baseball, with first baseman Hall and left fielder Konni Durschlag turning in defensive highlights.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hall backhanded a line drive and stepped on first to produce an inning-ending double play.

Durschlag's gem came in the bottom of the fourth. The sophomore outfielder tracked down a drive off the bat of Caldwell Tech's Derek Farley and made the catch as he slammed into the fence.

Durschlag said center fielder Wade Kelly came to his aid as the play unfolded.

"Wade did a good job of telling how close to the fence I was," Durschlag said. "I threw my glove out there and made a good play. I threw my chest out as soon as I caught the ball and just bounced off the fence without really feeling anything."

For Caldwell Tech, Hayden Setzer hit solo home runs in the second and seventh innings to account for the Cobras' scoring.

The game marked Gaston College's return to historic Walker Stadium for the first time since the memorable 2022 season opener that launched the school's return to baseball after a 50-year absence.

The Rhinos won that game 8-3 to create instant credibility for the program, and they went on to win a Region 10 regular season title and put together a 41-9 record in their inaugural season.