Reviewing Gaston College's 2023 softball season
When Gaston College began a softball program in the fall of the 2021-22 school year, veteran coach Mike Steuerwald knew it would be challenging but rewarding to build from scratch.
Who knew what lay ahead as the Rhinos struggled mightily in their first year as a "club" team before reaching unexpected and unimaginable heights in their second season overall and in their first season with National Junior College Athletic Association postseason eligibility.
In one of the most successful turnarounds in all of college sports, Gaston College improved on its 4-16 record as a club team with a limited roster in 2022 to a team that finished 43-10 overall after winning the Region 10 regular season and tournament titles and NJCAA Mid-Atlantic district championship to advance to the NJCAA World Series in Oxford, Ala.
"From our end, there's a lot of gratitude for all that we've been through," Steuerwald said. "You know, even in the down times, like the loss at USC Sumter (in the Region 10 regular season opener) that ended up being the low point of the season, people helped us bounce back and come back.
"All the parents that came down here to the World Series. I would say we had 25 or 30. So we had a decent number of people. It was fun and a lot of good support. It's always fun when you have that kind of support behind you in the stands.
"And so many people have supported us."
Remaking a team that only two returnees from its initial season was the job of Steuerwald and his staff of Lani Ries, Jessica Beck and Bethany Doty.
Based on the results, it'd be safe to say their efforts were successful beyond anyone's expectations.
"Well, the goal coming in was to be here because we talked about it in the fall at practice," Steuerwald said. "But without having been through a full season, it was hard to gauge where you're at and know what you're capable of until you go through it.
"You know, we got punched in the mouth early this season a couple of times."
After going 15-3 in non-league games that included a home doubleheader sweep loss to NJCAA Division II Region 10 runner-up Catawba Valley Community College, the Rhinos opened their initial Region 10 Division I schedule with a disappointing loss at USC Sumter.
While that defeat proved to USC Sumter's lone Region 10 victory of the year it also became Gaston College's only loss to a league opponent.
Along the way, the Rhinos got several superlative efforts from multiple players, most notably from eventual All-American, Region 10 player and pitcher of the year Brantleigh Parrott.
A freshman pitcher-outfielder from Concord, Parrott had a 24-1 pitching record, six saves, 0.55 ERA and 305 strikeouts in 166 2/3 innings in 36 appearances (18 starts) and hit .465 with two home runs, 58 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. She led all NJCAA Division I pitchers in ERA and strikeouts and was 12th in victories and her ERA was first among all NJCAA pitchers (Division I, II and III) and her strikeout total was second among all NJCAA pitchers. At the plate, she was first in Region 10 in RBIs and third in batting average.
Her only pitching defeat came in the opening round of the NJCAA World Series when eventual champion Florida SouthWestern rallied in the late innings for a 5-2 victory; Florida SouthWestern would go on to win its third straight title.
Other Rhinos standouts were Region 10 honorees Haylee Salter (first team infielder), Gabrielle Porterfield (first team outfielder), Serena Yalich (second team infielder) and Asheton Queen (second team infielder).
Steuerwald, who was named Region 10 coach of the year, guided Gaston College to 15 straight Region 10 games to win the league's regular season title then swept its three games in the Region 10 postseason tournament and swept a best-of-three Mid-Atlantic district playoff against Coastal Alabama-South to earn a stunning appearance in the World Series.
And while Steuerwald certainly applauded the efforts of his standout performers like Parrott, Salter, Porterfield, Yalich and Queen, a season-injury to projected top hitter and fielder Jailyn Tineo after only six games - Tineo eventually signed with NCAA Division I Gardner-Webb - forced the team to pull together even more.
It also created some unexpected standouts.
"I've been on some really talented teams that haven't accomplished this much," said Steuerwald, whose 19-year coaching career includes college and professional experience and he currently is an assistant coach for Team USA softball teams. "From this group, we just had a lot of people step up and make plays.
"You know, Tessa (Hunt) on a random Saturday throws a shutout against SMC (Spartanburg Methodist). When we beat Southeastern, Grace Manning had a phenomenal game in right field making outstanding catches and throwing runners out. We've had incredible moments from every player in the lineup.
"So, up and down the lineup, it's been really fun to be a part of it and see it. I don't know if the players understand that we as a coaching staff have enjoyed it as much as we have because of our intensity and want to win."
In the end, Gaston College dropped both games it played in the World Series, including a 5-2 loss to a Florida SouthWestern State in the opening round before that school went on to win its third straight national title.
"I would say the goal, obviously, was to be here and we knew we'd have to have a lot of things go right to win a national championship once we got here," Steuerwald said. "Our goal was to set the bar high to where we always want to win.
"Even when we had that club group, we were never happy when we lost.
"But this year has created positive change. It's like I told the group after their last game. I said, 'You guys have really set the bar for the program. The expectation is now set to where we're going to be wanting to be here at the World Series year-in and year-out.'"
And the honors have kept coming as seven Rhinos were named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Academic All-Americans - Queen, Tineo, Tessa Hunt, Kinsey Johnson, Logan Lilly, McKenzie Plaskin and Amiya Tomlinson. Additionally, those seven players, Haylee Salter and Grace Manning were named to the Region 10 All-Academic team.