Gaston College sweeps doubleheader in its 2023 home opener at CaroMont Health Park

Gaston College celebrated it home opener on a chilly Saturday at Caromont Health Park with a doubleheader sweep of Patrick & Henry.

After college president Dr. John Hauser threw out the ceremonial first pitch, the Rhinos defeated the Patriots 5-3 in game one and followed up with a 7-3 victory in the second game.

One big inning offensively combined with clutch relief pitching by Brantleigh Parrott pushed Gaston College (4-0) over the top in the opener.

In game two, the Rhinos used a fast start at the plate and solid pitching by starter Tessa Hunt and Parrott again in a relief role to nail down the win.

"It was really good today," Rhinos coach Michael Steuerwald said. "We had a good crowd for a chilly day, and the girls were super excited. It was fun for them to be out here and compete and get a couple of W's."

In the opener, the Rhinos erased a 1-0 deficit by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Gaston College collected five hits in the scoring spree, including three straight to open the inning, and benefited from a bases loaded walk to Haylee Salter. Logan Lilly and Asheton Queen singled in a run apiece, and Gabrielle Porterfield stole home to plate another.

In the top of the fifth, Rhinos pitcher Amiya Tomlinson was one out away from retiring the side in order when an outfield error, back-to-back walks and an infield bobble brought in two unearned runs.

It was at that point that Parrott came to the circle in relief of Tomlinson and struck out Kyndal Hopkins to end the inning with no further damage.

Parrott also worked the sixth and seventh innings and finished the game by striking out seven of the eight batters she faced in 2 1/3 innings of relief. She closed out the Patriots by striking out Danielle King, representing the potential tying run, on a changeup with a runner aboard.

Queen (3-4, two RBIs), Lilly (2-3, RBI) and Parrott (2-4) led a nine-hit Gaston College attack.

In game two, the Rhinos jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings and went on to collect 12 hits for the game. Jailyn Tineo hit a two-out double off the right field fence to score Queen with the first run of the game, and Lilly added a run-scoring single down the left field line.
Parrott delivered the key hit in the three-run third inning for Gaston, driving in two with a two-out single.

On the mound, Hunt worked the first five innings and gave up three runs, all earned, on six hits. Parrott came on in relief with Gaston College up 7-3 and closed out the game with two shutout innings.

In addition to her work in the circle, Parrott paced the Rhinos at the plate by going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Other top hitters were Lilly (3-for-3, RBI), Queen (2-for-4) and Tineo (2-for-3, RBI).

Defensively, right fielder Grace Manning made a big play in the fifth inning by running down and catching a fly ball near the fence that could have gone for extra bases.

Gaston College remains at home in its next games on Tuesday when the Rhinos host Catawba Valley Community in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.