Gaston College ready for its second World Series appearance in three years

Gaston College seeks to continue its record-setting softball season as it pursues a national championship in the National Junior College Athletic Association in Yuma, Ariz.

Coach Mike Steuerwald's No. 10-ranked Rhinos are 60-3 overall with a school and Region 10 Division I record for victories and a school-record 27-game winning streak. And as the World Series begins, Gaston College is three wins shy of the Region 10 all-time wins record currently held by Division II Louisburg (63-5 record in 2023).

"This is a group that has showed up every day and worked hard and done what I've asked them to do and what the assistant coaches have asked them to do," Steuerwald said. "They've bought in to everything we've been working on."

McKenna Jones (.516 average, 10 extra base hits, 2 home runs, 19 RBIs), Sarah Johnson (.513 average, 38 extra base hits, 8 home runs, 93 RBIs), Kendall Bradshaw (.462 average, 38 extra base hits, 10 home runs, 73 RBIs), Mary Hinson (.457 average, 18 extra base hits, 1 home run, 57 RBIs), Alayna Patrick (.434 average, 38 extra base hits, 7 home runs, 83 RBIs), Grace Kealy (.430 average, 38 extra base hits, 19 home runs, 86 RBIs), Savanna Mullins (.427 average, 14 extra base hits, 5 home runs, 35 RBIs), Skye Harrington (.399 average, 35 extra base hits, 15 home runs, 82 RBIs), Addison Marr (.394 average, 2 extra base hits, 4 RBIs), Arissa Duff (.385 average, 10 extra hits, 27 RBIs), Katelyn Brandon (.383 average, 22 extra base hits, 10 home runs, 57 RBIs) and Savanna Price (.316 average, 12 extra base hits, 4 home runs, 40 RBIs) lead a powerful offense has a collective .422 batting average and averages 11.8 runs per game.

In the circle, Kristyn Ezzo (23-0 record, 4 saves, 1.25 ERA), Mullins (17-2 record, 2.55 ERA) and Abigail Brewton (16-1 record, 2.92 ERA) lead a pitching staff with a collective 2.14 ERA while yielding just 273 hits in 357 innings with 306 strikeouts.

The Rhinos are one of 14 ranked teams in the 20-team field that includes four former national champions and a Chattanooga State, Tenn., that has made the most World Series apperances (21).

Defending national champion Indian River State, Fla., is the highest-ranked team (No. 4) to miss the field.

The top-seeded team is No. 1-ranked Florida SouthWestern (52-5), which won the previous three titles. That includes the 2023 title in which Florida SouthWestern defeated Gaston College 5-2 in the Rhinos' first-ever NJCAA World Series game.

Gaston College is the No. 7 seed and opens its 2025 World Series bid at 8:45 p.m. Eastern time against No. 10 Trinity Valley, Tex. (50-12) on Monday night. A Rhinos win advances them a Wednesday 6:45 p.m. Eastern time winner's bracket game and a loss would put them in a Wednesday 2:15 p.m. Eastern time loser's bracket contest.

"I'm just fired up for this crew to be able to go to the World Series," Steuerwald said. "To have a 60-win season, the first in school history, and break the school record for consecutive wins means a lot.
"But more than anything, we get to spend another two weeks together with this group."