Gaston College records first wins over nationally-ranked opponent to reach 30 victories

It may not have been vintage Brantleigh Parrott, but Gaston College's shutdown closer did her job again to help her team complete a doubleheader sweep of Surry Community College Tuesday at CaroMont Health Park.

Parrott pitched out of trouble in two of her three innings of relief as the Rhinos held on for a 4-1 win in game two against the Region 10 Division III Knights (18-11).

In the opener, Parrott's services were not needed as Gaston College rolled to an 8-0 victory in six innings behind the shutout pitching of Tessa Hunt and a double-digit offensive attack.

The doubleheader sweep, combined with a forfeit win that Gaston College picked up this week, pushed the Rhinos to the 30-win plateau only a season removed from competing as a club team and winning four games.

Parrott came on in relief of starting pitcher Amiya Tomlinson in the top of the fifth with a 2-1 lead. An inning later, she found herself in a bases-loaded situation with no outs after a single, two infield miscues and a fielder's choice filled the base paths.

As she has done so often this season, Parrott put down the rally by striking out three in a row, whiffing Lainey Williamson, McKenzie Mixon and Hannah Hall.

In the bottom of the sixth, Gaston College picked up two insurance runs on a Haylee Salter home run and an RBI single by Gabrielle Porterfield.

In Surry's last at-bat, Parrott created a bit of difficulty for herself by walking two of the first three batters she faced. However, she pitched out of that situation by forcing Abby Draughn to fly out to left field for the game-ending out. Parrott recorded seven strikeouts in her three innings of work.

At the plate, Parrott, Serena Yalich, Salter and Hunt had two hits each for the Rhinos, and Porterfield collected two RBIs.

Parrott said she had to make some adjustments during her clutch relief stint.

"The umpire's strike zone was very, very tight," she said. "Low pitches were not what he was calling, and I was struggling. I had to talk to my catcher and relax myself before I threw again."

Gaston College head coach Michael Steuerwald pointed to the performance from all three of his pitchers Tuesday.

"Anytime you give up one run in 13 innings is a phenomenal day for your staff," Steuerwald said. "Tessa (Hunt) rolled in game one, and Amiya (Tomlinson) seems to be getting back on track with four innings and only one run. I will take that any day. And Brantleigh gets out of a bases-loaded situation after we didn't make a few plays in the sixth. That's an awesome job from the staff."

In game one, Parrott's walk-off hit to left-center field scored Asheton Queen with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth to end the game on the eight-run mercy rule.

The Rhinos scored solo runs in the second and third innings on a Salter single and a Parrott sacrifice fly respectively.

With starting pitcher Hunt controlling the Knights' lineup, Gaston College went up 3-0 in the fifth on Porterfield's RBI single, and made it 4-0 on Salter's run-scoring double down the left field line.

Later in the same inning, the Rhinos broke the game open on Serena Yalich's three-run home run over the fence in left to extend the margin to 7-0.

Queen (3-4, two doubles), Porterfield (3-4, RBI), Salter (3-3, two doubles), and Parrott (2-3, double, two RBIs) had multiple hits to pace Gaston College's 12-hit attack.

Hunt scattered five hits while striking out four and walking one. The Rhinos' defense backed Hunt with solid play, highlighted by Queen's diving catch of a line drive at shortstop in the top of the fourth.

This was the program's first win over a ranked team, since Surry was ranked ninth nationally in a Region 10 Division III preseason poll by the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA). The first Region 10 Division III poll of the season does not come out until next week, Steuerwald said.

The Rhinos, now 30-6 overall and 7-1 in Regional 10 Division I play, travel to Florence-Darlington Technical College Friday for a division doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.