No. 2 Gaston College completes second straight sweep of Frontier Community College

After battling Frontier Community College through 23 innings Saturday and squeezing out two one-run victories, Gaston College created a different narrative for Sunday's conclusion of the weekend series at Sims Legion Park.

The Rhinos wrapped up a four-game sweep with a 7-0 win in the first game and a 14-2 romp in the second game that ended after 4 1/2 innings.

Ranked No. 2 nationally in the first National Junior College Athletic Association Division I poll of the season, Gaston College (20-2) did nothing to harm its lofty standing.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Connor Frail set the tone for Sunday's twinbill by fashioning only the second complete game of the season along with the first shutout of 2024 by a Rhinos hurler - and first in school history since current Elon pitcher Nolan Straniero shutout USC Sumter in the 2023 Region 10 championship tournament last May.

In the second game, the Rhinos took advantage of the Bobcats' spent pitching staff, scoring in every inning and ending the game with an eight-run spree in the bottom of the fourth.

Gaston College coach Shohn Doty praised his club's offensive efficiency Sunday after the Rhinos left 22 baserunners stranded Saturday in a 17-inning game that went down as the longest in school history.

"We swung the bats extremely well, comparatively, and did a much better job of getting guys in scoring position and moving them along," Doty said, noting that the Rhinos faced four Bobcats starting pitchers who have signed with four-year Division I schools. "We took what they gave us, moved the ball and cut down on strikeouts. Our runners left on base stat went way down."

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly Frail's mound work in game one. The R.J. Reynolds High product threw only 76 pitches through seven innings, 60 of them strikes. He allowed three hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter.

Offensively, the Rhinos banged out 11 hits and put runs on the board in four of their six at-bats. Andrew Muraco went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs to lead the way. That double into the right field corner came in the bottom of the fifth when GC scored three times to basically put the game away.

Seth Christmas went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, and Freddie Oliver continued his hot hitting for the weekend with a pair of base hits in three trips.

In game two, Wagner Morrissette (2-0) made the most of his first pitching start of the season, going five innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

The Rhinos began to break the game wide open in the third inning, getting a two-run home run to left field by Tyler Burke and a solo shot to right field off the bat of Brandon Crabtree.

Crabtree and Caleb Estes each went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Ben Karpowicz had one hit in two at-bats and collected three RBIs.

The Rhinos will try to extend their current win streak to 12 Tuesday with a single game at home against Rockingham Community College, starting time 2 p.m.