Gaston College takes its first win over conference opponent in Friday's doubleheader opener

Raynee Redington hit a grand slam and the defense turned in its best effort of the season as Gaston College split a softball doubleheader with Camp Community College of Franklin, Va., on Friday at Gastonia's Martha Rivers Park.

Redington's second-inning shot to right field staked the Rhinos to a 6-1 lead, and they held on for an 8-3 victory and their first win over a league opponent.

The Hurricanes earned a split with a 15-1 verdict in the second game of the twinbill.

"When we got the bases loaded, I was like, 'We got the bases loaded here, and I need to do something,'" Redington said. "I wasn't expecting it to go over the fence. But it obviously feels good to get a grand slam – my first one ever."

The sophomore from Chatham Central High School also worked four innings in the circle in game one, striking out six while scattering five hits. She pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh.

"My girls had my back and kept the ball in front of them and made the outs," Redington said of the tight pitching spot. "They helped me to push through it and keep that score down."

The Rhinos punched out 13 hits for the game, with Serena Yalich, Emily Matthews, McKenzie Gates, and McKenzie Plaskin collecting two apiece. Redington's homer was the fourth of the season for the team.

Even though Gaston did not play error-free ball, coach Mike Steuerwald praised his team's overall defensive play.

"Defensively, that was probably our best game of the year," Steuerwald said. "Even though we had three errors, we made plays in situations to limit the damage. Every inning they scored was only one run, which was huge for us."

Another positive trend is that the Rhinos (2-12) managed a split of a doubleheader for the second straight time.

"It has been good for us to jump out the last couple doubleheaders and find a way to win game one," Steuerwald said. "It's nice to see a little bit of our efforts rewarded right now."

Kaitlyn Robertston and Cassidy Dickens had two hits each for the Hurricanes.

In the second game, Camp Community College went up 5-1 after two innings and broke the game open with a 10-run top of the fourth.

The Rhinos scored their solo run in the bottom of the first on a bases-loaded walk issued to Emma Sattison. Redington went 1-for-2 to lead Gaston at the plate.

Yalich and Sattison worked two innings each in the circle, and Redington pitched the top of the fifth.

Katelynn Goodman (3-for-5, three RBIs) and Victoria Harr (2-for-2, three RBIs) led a 14-hit attack for the Hurricanes.

The Rhinos hit the road next weekend with doubleheaders March 25 at Wake Tech and March 26 at Pitt Community College.