Gaston College enters Region 10 championship pursuing a title and district hosting duties
Ever since Gaston College's baseball team began fall drills in 2022, the goal of this year was to win a Region 10 tournament title that would allow the Rhinos to host the National Junior College Athletic Association's Eastern District tournament at Gastonia's Sims Legion Park.
Nothing has changed after Gaston College went 41-9 in the regular season and this week prepares to play in its first Region 10 baseball championship tournament starting on Friday.
Even as the Rhinos finished just shy of their goal of a regular season title that would've clinched one of the four berths in the district tournament, they know they are on track for a goal that's been two years in the making.
"We put ourselves in a position by how we played all year long to win the regular season," said Gaston College coach Shohn Doty, who with the help of his staff restarted the school's baseball program after a 50-year absence starting in the fall of 2021. "And then we didn't get that done. So there's some disappointment there.
"But, for us, our kids believe, particularly the guys who have been here for two years. We've won a lot of close games, we've from behind and we've won by staying ahead. From a talent standpoint, we're as good as anybody in our league. Our kids believe that and I believe that."
The Rhinos returned to work on Monday after a day off following Saturday's 14-2 victory over Hosanna Bible College on a "Sophomore Day" where 23 players were honored, including 12 who have been with the program both seasons.
After practicing Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Gastonia's Sims Legion Park, the team will get a walk-through at the Lexington County Stadium field in Lexington, S.C., that will be hosting its fourth straight Region 10 Division I championship tournament.
Gaston College plays the second of four opening round games on Friday that will get the 8-team, double-elimination tournament underway. The No. 2 seed Rhinos (41-9 overall, 16-6 Region 10) face No. 7 Louisburg (25-24-1, 5-13-1) at 12:30 p.m. Other opening round games have No. 3 USC Sumter (32-14, 13-7) against No. 6 USC Union (19-26, 7-17) at 9 a.m., No. 4 Spartanburg Methodist (27-19-1, 13-9-1) against No. 5 USC Lancaster (28-18, 10-15) at 4 p.m. and No. 1 Florence Darlington Tech (47-9, 20-3) against No. 8 USC Salkehatchie (4-41, 3-18) at 7:30 p.m.
Games will continue through Monday and possibly Tuesday depending on results to determine a champion that will host a 4-team tournament from May 12 to 14 with Florence Darlington Tech and the champions of Region 15 and Region 20. (If Florence Darlington Tech wins the Region 10 tounament, the tournament runner-up will gain Region 10's second district playoff berth.)
The winner of district tournament advances to the May 27-June 3 NJCAA World Series at Sam Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Col.
Florence Darlington Tech is ranked No. 6 in the most recent NJCAA poll and has been ranked as high as No. 5 this season. Gaston College, currently No. 17, has been ranked as high as No. 11 (and the Rhinos have been ranked as high as No. 4 in another poll - thejbb.net poll).
Region 10 first began crowning baseball champions in 1958 and Spartanburg Methodist (14) has the most titles and runner-up finishes (11), Louisburg is tied for second with six titles and Florence Darlington Tech has won three titles in the last five tournaments, including back-to-back championships.
Other current members with Region 10 titles are USC Sumter (2) and USC Lancaster (1).
Gaston College won four straight old North Carolina Community College Conference baseball titles from 1968 to 1972 but never qualified for the Region 10 tournament. Then, last season, after returning to action, the Rhinos won the Region 10 Division II Western Conference regular season title but were ineligible for national competition since they were a first-year school.
"I think it's got a chance to be an unbelieveable tournament this week," Doty said. "Especially when you talk about the tradition in our league, having two teams ranked all year and tha talent that's in our league."
Leaders for Gaston College this season have been outfielder Trey Truitt, outfielder-infielder Adam Quintero, outfielder Wade Kelly, outfielder Konni Durschlag, catcher-third baseman Seth Christmas, shortstop Enrique Wood and pitchers Derek Vartanian, Nolan Straniero, Kyle McKernan and J.D. Everett.
Truitt leads Region 10 in home runs (12) and RBIs (55) and is hitting .319. Quintero is second in Region 10 in batting average (.425) and RBIs (54). Kelly is third in Region 10 in stolen bases with 32 and is hitting .351. And Durschlag (.396), Christmas (.358) and Wood (.341) also are batting better than .300.
Vartanian leads Region 10 in ERA (2.17). Straniero leads Region 10 in strikeouts (80) and is second in wins (9). McKernan is third in Region 10 in strikeouts (65). And Everett is fourth in Region 10 in wins (7).
Here are the full Region 10 championship pairings for a tournament that will be played at Lexington County Stadium in Lexington, S.C.:
(Friday, May 5)
Game 1: No. 3 USC Sumter (32-14, 13-7) vs. No. 6 USC Union (19-26, 7-17), 9 a.m.
Game 2: No. 2 Gaston College (41-9, 16-6) vs. No. 7 Louisburg (25-24-1, 5-13-1), 12:30 p.m.
Game 3: No. 4 Spartanburg Methodist (27-19-1, 13-9-1) vs. No. 5 USC Lancaster (28-18, 10-15), 4 p.m.
Game 4: No. 1 Florence Darlington Tech (47-9, 20-3) vs. No. 8 USC Salkehatchie (4-41, 3-18), 7:30 p.m.
(Saturday, May 6)
Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 9 a.m.
Game 6: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 8: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 7:30 p.m.
(Sunday, May 7)
Game 9: Game 8 loser vs. Game 5 winner, 12:30 p.m.
Game 10: Game 7 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 9 a.m.
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 7:30 p.m.
(Monday, May 8)
Game 13: Game 11 loser vs. Game 12 winner, noon
Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner, 4 p.m.
(Tuesday, May 9)
Game 15 (if necessary): If Game 11 winner loses in Game 14, 11 a.m.