No. 13 Gaston College extends winning streak to 12 with DH sweep

Games 47 and 48: April 8 vs. USC Salkehatchie

No. 13-ranked Gaston College's softball team extended its winning streak to 12 games with another Region 10 Division I doubleheader sweep on Tuesday afternoon at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.

The Rhinos rolled past USC Salkehatchie 22-0 and 11-0 in a pair of games shortened to five innings by the "mercy" rule.

Both Gaston College's pitching and hitting were dominant in the sweep as Rhinos' starters and winners Savanna Mullins and Kristyn Ezzo took perfect games into the last inning before settling for two-hit and one-hit shutouts, respectively.

And Mullins blasted two home runs and drove in seven runs in the opener and Kendall Bradshaw was a perfect six-for-six on the day with three doubles, a triple and a home run - and she was a single shy of a cycle in the nightcap when she batted just three times.

"Both pitchers did a great job of executing and, more than anything, limiting free bases," Gaston College coach Mike Steuerwald said. "Obviously our offense just continues to do what they need to do."

The Rhinos scored five, six, seven and four runs in their four innings of hitting in the opener and scored three, two, five and one run in their four innings in the nightcap.

Other offensive standouts in the sweep were Mary Hinson (4 hits, 1 RBI), Arissa Duff (3 hits, double, 1 RBI), Alayna Patrick (2 hits, triple, 3 RBIs), Grace Kealy (2 hits, double, 3 RBIs), McKenna Jones (2 hits, home run, 3 RBIs) and Katelyn Brandon (1 hit, 4 RBIs).

"It was a great day at the plate and we couldn't have asked for a whole lot more," Steuerwald said. "Our challenge is to stay locked in every day we play."

The Rhinos play again in their regular season home finale against USC Sumter in a 4 p.m. Thursday doubleheader.