Expectations high for local freshman pitcher as Gaston College begins fall drills

In the last three seasons, Gaston College's softball team has been blessed with an All-American and three future four-year collegians as its top pitchers.

This season, a freshman with local ties - former Crest High standout Aidan Ledbetter - is expected to get an opportunity to add to the Rhinos' recent success in the circle.

A four-time Big South Conference pitcher of the year and 2025 N.C. Class 3A player of the year, Ledbetter had an 81-17 career pitching record with 827 strikeouts in 531 innings and 1.12 ERA in her high school career. She also hit .364 for the Chargers.

"For us to be successful, she needs to be able to compete in the circle," Gaston College coach Mike Steuerwald said. "Will she be our No. 1? We'll know more after the fall."

Ledbetter had come to see Gaston College play games in the fall of 2024 and when the Rhinos won their district tournament at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park over Georgia Military to earn a second National Junior College Athletic Association World Series berth in three years.

"You could tell they had a lot of talent and they knew how to compete," Ledbetter said.

So far this fall, Ledbetter says the seven returnees are leading the way as Gaston College enters the season after 63-5 final record and fourth-place national finish.

"The sophomores are really setting a standard," Ledbetter said. "They know what we need to do to win or get even farther than last year."

Ledbetter and sophomores Mary Hinson (1-0 record, 1.83 ERA in five appearances) and Savanna Mullins (17-2 record, 2.80 ERA in 26 appearances) and freshmen Olivia Thompson (Croatan High School) and Laila Woolfolk (Zephyrhills, Fla. High School) are considered the Rhinos' top pitching prospects entering the fall.

"From a pitching standpoint, I've got my work cut out for me to make sure we're at a high level," Steuerwald said. "We've got a lot of options in the circle. It's up to us as a coaching staff to get them in a position to throw in a game against good competition."