Future Big 10 pitcher excited about No. 1-ranked Gaston College's opportunity to repeat as Region 10 champions

When Wagner Morrissette first came to Gaston College, all he heard about was the Rhinos' historic National Junior College Athletic Association World Series run last spring and summer.

This week, Morrissette can play a role in helping Gaston College make a return trip as the school begins its Region 10 tournament title defense on Friday at Lexington County, S.C., Stadium.

"This has been the best year of my life," said Morrissette, who recently became one of the 12 Rhinos' four-year college commitments when he picked Iowa of the Big 10 Conference. "Gaston made it an easy decision for me out of the transfer portal last year. I've learned so much under the coaches and had so much.
"And we're not done yet. We've got big aspirations for the postseason and it's going to fun to see how far we can go."

The Rhinos enter the tournament ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA poll and as the No. 2 seed behind Region 10 regular season champion Florence-Darlington Tech (ranked No. 7 nationally).

Gaston College (49-6) plays No. 7 seed USC Salkehatchie on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in its first round game of the seven-team, double-elimination tournament. The Region 10 champion advances to play in a best-of-three East district series that will send its winner to the May 25-June 1 World Series in Grand Junction, Col.

Morrissette, a 2022 Burlington School graduate, came to the Rhinos' program after pitching sparingly for Maryland a year ago.

His commitment to Iowa renewed a longtime relationship as the Hawkeyes' pitching coach, Sean McGrath. McGrath is a former Elon assistant coach who worked with Morrissette when he was in high school.

"When I found out he was going back to college, it was a pretty easy decision for me," Morrissette said of McGrath, who was a pitching coach in the Seattle Mariners organization from 2019 to 2022.

At Gaston College, Morrissette has pitched in several roles ranging from starter to closer to middle reliever.

He has a 5-1 record, 4.13 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings in 14 appearances (six starts).

"My role doesn't really matter to me," Morrissette said. "I'm just trying to give my team a chance to win. Whatever (Gaston College coach Shohn) Doty thinks is best for me is what I'm going to try to do."

Here is the full Region 10 tournament schedule:

(Friday, May 3)
Game 1 - USC Lancaster vs. USC Sumter, 10 a.m.
Game 2 - Spartanburg Methodist vs. USC Union, 1 p.m.
Game 3 - Gaston College vs. USC Salkehatchie, 4:30 p.m.
Game 4 - Florence-Darlington-Tech vs. Game 1 winner, 7:30 p.m.

(Saturday, May 4)
Game 5 - Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 10 a.m.
Game 6 - Game 2 loser vs. Game 3 loser, 1 p.m.
Game 7 - Game 1 loser vs. Game 5 loser, 4:30 p.m.
Game 8 - Game 4 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 7:30 p.m.

(Sunday, May 5)
Game 9 - Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 10 a.m.
Game 10 - Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 11 - Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 loser, 4:30 p.m.

(Monday, May 6)
Game 12 - Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 11 a.m.
Game 13 (if necessary) - If Game 11 winner wins Game 12, approximately 2 p.m.