No. 23 Gaston College rolls to DH sweep victory

No. 23 Gaston College's softball team bounced back after a recent weekend of offensive struggles with a pair of mercy rule wins in a doubleheader sweep of Cleveland Community College on Wednesday at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.

The Rhinos (19-3) had been shut out twice last weekend in a pair of losses in Georgia but erupted for 29 runs and 28 hits in 13-0 and 16-1 victories.

"I think our team is understanding we're not the same team as last year," Gaston College coach Michael Steuerwald said. "We have to play some small ball and put the ball in play."

McKenna Jones (6 hits, 3 doubles, triple, 4 RBIs), Mallie Courson (4 hits, triple, 4 RBIs), Adah Bruining (4 hits, 2 doubles, home run, 3 RBIs), Katelyn Brandon (3 hits, double, 2 RBIs), Mary Hinson (2 hits, double, 2 RBIs), Jalyn Kopp (2 hits, 1 RBI), Miranda Wall (2 hits, double, 3 RBIs) and Emery Skinner (2 hits, double, 1 RBI) led the Gaston College offense.

On the mound, Aidan Ledbetter (2-hitter, 7 strikeouts) and Savanna Mullins (6-hitter, 5 strikeouts) threw back-to-back complete games.

"We had great production up and down the lineup and in the circle," Steuerwald said. "Hopefully, that'll get us rolling into the weekend."

Gaston College plays four games in two days on Friday and Saturday at Raleigh's Walnut Creek Complex; On Friday, the Rhinos play Wake Tech at 1 p.m. and Lackawanna at 3 p.m. and on Saturday, they play Louisburg at 2:30 p.m. and Howard Community College at 5 p.m.

"Anytime you play four teams in two days it's going to be a challenge because you'll see a lot of different pitching and a lot of different styles of play," Steuerwald said. "If we come in ready to go, we'll be OK."