Gaston College begins Region 10 competition with a pair of road doubleheaders
After sprinting through the month of February with a 15-3 record, Gaston College digs into the meat of its schedule with a pair of Region 10 Division I doubleheaders this weekend.
The Rhinos, 4-0 on the road so far, play at USC Sumter Friday (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) and at USC Union Sunday (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.)
Gaston College enters the most important weekend of the season on a wave of momentum.
The Rhinos are coming off a Tuesday doubleheader sweep of Caldwell Tech at CaroMont Park, winning 10-6 and 12-4. In the second game of the twinbill, Gaston College banged out 15 hits in one of its best offensive showings to date.
In addition, the second-year softball program picked up a national honor this week with pitcher-outfielder Brantleigh Parrott earning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I pitcher of the week award.
A freshman from Concord, Parrott put together a 4-0 week with one save and 42 strikeouts in 19 2-3 innings. The Rhinos went 5-1 during that stretch.
Not only that, Gaston College got complete games in the circle from Tessa Hunt and Aimya Tomlinson in the midweek sweep, allowing Parrott to get rest in advance of the division openers.
As region play gets underway, the Rhinos are settling into a starting lineup without sophomore Jailyn Tineo at shortstop. Tineo was hitting .353 with one home run and five RBIs before she went out with an injury after six games.
One adjustment has South Point High product Asheton Queen moving from third base to shortstop to fill the hole in the defense left by Tineo's absence.
"It was bad losing Jailyn because she is the main piece of our leadership, but I think we are adjusting even better than I expected," Queen said. "We are picking her up one batter at a time."
Queen has certainly done her job in helping to lift the team. Batting in the leadoff spot, Queen is hitting at a .407 clip with one home run and 12 RBIs. She also leads the team in doubles with seven and is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (12).
"She has been really good at the top of the lineup," Rhinos coach Mike Steuerwald said of Queen. "A lot of our rallies have started with her getting clutch hits. I think she can continue to build on what she is doing and take it to another level."
Looking ahead to Region 10 play, Steuerwald says his team is in a good position even though the loss of Tineo is a blow to the Rhinos' depth.
"We have what we have, so our challenge is to find ways to match up pieces on a given day, to find people who are swinging the bats well and pitchers who can put a lot of zeroes up on the board," Steuerwald said. "One thing we have done well is make adjustments at the plate. It is tough to lose a good player in the middle of the lineup, but a lot of people have stepped up in their roles."