Gaston College stays alive with late night win in NJCAA World Series

Playing into the wee hours of Friday morning Eastern Daylight Time, Gaston College's softball team stayed alive in the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series in Yuma, Ariz.

The No. 7 seeded Rhinos lost 6-2 earlier Thursday night to No. 3 Northwest Florida State before rallying from an early deficit to defeat No. 17 Crowder, Mo., 8-6 in a game that didn't start until 8:30 p.m. local time (and 11:30 p.m. EDT).

The results mean Gaston College (63-4) is among the last four teams alive in the 20-team, double-elimination tournament and will play again on Friday at 6:30 p.m. EDT against No. 11 Wallace State-Hanceville, Ala.

A loss would end the Rhinos season while a victory would mean a Friday 9 p.m. EDT elimination game against the loser of Friday's winner's bracket final between Northwest Florida State and No. 1 Florida SouthWestern.

In Thursday's first game, Gaston College led 1-0 on Alayna Patrick's two-out RBI single in the top of the first inning before the Northwest Florida State scored the game's next six runs for a 6-1 lead after three innings. The Rhinos' Sarah Johnson closed out the scoring with a solo home run in the seventh.

The defeat ended the Rhinos' school-record 29-game winning streak.

In Thursday's nightcap that didn't end until 2:30 a.m. Eastern time, Gaston College fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning before a seven-run second put the Rhinos ahead to stay.

Patrick, Savanna Mullins and Mary Hinson had RBI singles, Johnson a RBI groundout, Skye Harrington a two-run single and Grace Kealy a RBI single in the decisive rally.

In the fifth - and after Crowder had closed within 7-6 - Savanna Price's RBI single drove in Alayna Patrick to provide a crucial insurance run for the Rhinos.

Kristyn Ezzo picked up the win in relief with five innings of four-hit pitching.