Gaston College completes Region 10 sweep on day it gets historic No. 1 national ranking

On the same day Gaston College's baseball team set program and school history with a No. 1 overall national ranking, the Rhinos also completed a four-game sweep to open its Region 10 schedule.

Early Monday afternoon, the @TadSlowik_DBA "X" account announced the Rhinos as the No. 1 overall team in National Junior College Athletic Association Division I.

The poll, which is sponsored by DreamBigAthletics.com, moved Gaston College from No. 3 last week to No. 1 this week.

That poll release came during Monday's 8-1 victory over USC Sumter in the opener and the Rhinos completed the doubleheader sweep with a 9-4 win in the nightcap.

"So proud of our team, our staff, and our college," Gaston College head coach Shohn Doty said of the No. 1 ranking. "Long way to go but honored nonetheless.
"It is such an honor being the first sports team in Gaston College history to receive a No. 1 ranking. We hope to continue to strive for that level of excellence everyday."

The Rhinos, who improved to 25-2 overall and 4-0 in Region 10, remained No. 2 in the NJCAA poll that also was released on Monday.

In Monday's sweep, starters and winners Connor Frail (5-hitter with 4 strikeouts in 66 total pitches) and Wagner Morrissette (5 innings with 9 strikeouts) and third baseman Trevor Lucas (5 hits, 7 RBIs, 2 home runs, double) led Gaston College.

"Trevor Lucas had an unbelieveable day," Doty said of Lucas, who had one hit in two games of Sunday's 7-2 and 14-11 victories. "We talk all the time about responding when adversity hits. Trevor really responded. We moved him down to the 8 hole and he got two pitches to drive and he hit them out of the yard in the first game and kept going in the second game."

The offense drew 15 walks and four hit batters while also collecting 14 hits in the two games.

Other offensive standouts in the sweep were Freddie Oliver (3 hits, double, home run, 3 RBIs) and Ben Karpowicz (2 hits, 3 RBIs).

Frail retired 21 of 25 batters and didn't yield a run until a home run in the top of the seventh inning.

Morrissette struck out the side twice in in his five-inning effort before Shane Thorson closed out the win with two innings of relief.

"Wags was really good today and then Connor for the second week in a row was really, really efficient," Doty said. "Overall, I thought we played much, much better than yesterday."

The Rhinos return to action with Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m. doubleheaders at USC Lancaster this weekend.