No. 10 Gaston College softball improves to 6-0 with Saturday DH sweep

Gaston College's No 10-ranked softball team is off to the second-best start in program history after rallying in both wins of a doubleheader sweep of Georgia Highlands College on Saturday afternoon at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.

The Rhinos trailed 5-3 in the opener before rolling to a 10-5 victory, then were ahead 5-0 before the visitors tied the score at 5 and Gaston College won 6-5 after a run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

"We're still trying to figure out our pieces a little," said Gaston College coach Michael Steuerwald, whose team had a school-record 13-0 start last season. "Last year, we didn't have to move people around very much. This year, we've had different people in different spots trying to take advantage of what is a different style lineup.
"Pitching has been good but I think we're going to be a little bit more 'pitch by committee' with more relief appearances than before."

Those traits showed up successfully in Saturday's sweep in sunny, blustery, chilly weather conditions.

Savanna Mullins' three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning gave the Rhinos the lead for good in the opener.

Then in the nightcap, after being tied at 5 and seeing its first two batters retired in the bottom of the sixth inning, Gaston College loaded the bases before pinch-hitter McKenna Jones drew a bases-loaded walk.

On the mound, freshman Sophia Crist picked up the victory in relief in each contest; She went 3 1/3 innings and yielded one hit with four strikeouts in the opener and went 2 1/3 innings with no hits and one strikeout in the nightcap.

"Sophia Crist was lights out for us in relief for us," Steuerwald said. "She kept their hitters off balance."

Mary Hinson (6 hits, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs), Mullins (3 hits, home run, 6 RBIs), Emery Skinner (2 hits, double, 1 RBI), Katelyn Brandon (2 hits, double) and Alexa Bianchi-Rossi (2 hits, 2 RBIs) led Gaston College's offense in the sweep.

The Rhinos return to action on Tuesday against Catawba Valley Community College in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.