Whether closer or starter, Carr joins large group of Gaston College players headed to 4-year schools

Gaston College sophomore pitcher Landon Carr had lots of options at four-year colleges and universities to continue his baseball.

In the end, the bonds he had formed at Gaston College played a role in his decision to choose Campbell University.

"The main schools I was talking were Coastal Carolina, Pitt and Campbell," Carr said. "Obviously, I have some good buddies there and some other teammates here are going there so I thought it would be the best fit for me."

This season, the Camels' baseball program has former Gaston College standouts Chandler Riley and Derek Vartanian on its roster and Carr will join current Rhinos' pitcher Mason Smith and outfielder Ben Karpowicz at Campbell in the fall.

For now, Carr and his Gaston College teammates will look to protect their perfect Region 10 Division I record and near perfect record at Gastonia's Sims Legion Park this weekend when the Rhinos welcome Spartanburg Methodist in a huge four-game series of 1 p.m. doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday.

"It's been awesome this season," said Carr, who is one of eight returnees from last year's 50-13 teams that made a historic National Junior College Athletic Association World Series appearance. "Everyone loves winning. We're doing a lot of things right.
"Even when we've lost, we've built off those losses. We've done that in a real good way because our team fights even harder after we face adversity."

For top-ranked Gaston College, there hasn't been much adversity on the field as the Rhinos' sparkling 35-2 overall and 12-0 Region 10 records would attest.

But this week after gaining a No. 1 NJCAA ranking for the first time in any sport in school history, Carr and his teammates know expectations will keep getting higher as the regular season winds to a close.

Spartanburg Methodist (28-6, 11-1) fell just short in this week's ranking and No. 10 Florence-Darlington Tech (28-5, 8-0) has been ranked all season long and will close out Gaston College's Region 10 slate in Gastonia on April 20 and 21.

To Carr, there's no big motivational speeches necessary for his team.

"Our goal is simple: We've got to keep it going," said Carr, a 2022 Cuthbertson High graduate from Waxhaw.

A year ago as strictly a reliever, Carr had a 2-1 record with one save and 3.05 ERA in 19 appearances as the Rhinos made the World Series for the first time in their first season of postseason eligibility after the school restarted athletics for the first time in 50 years in the fall of 2021.

This season, Carr had been the team's closer until last weekend when he made his first collegiate start. He needed a season-high 65 pitches to go five scoreless innings yielding one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts in a 10-0 victory over USC Salkehatchie last Sunday.

It gives Carr a 2-1 record with four saves and 1.80 ERA in 13 appearances (one start) this season.

"Landon did a good job," Gaston College head coach Shohn Doty said. "He has starter stuff. Sixty-something pitches for a guy that hasn't done that in a long time is impressive."

Moving forward, Doty isn't sure whether Carr will stay in the starting pitching rotation or return to his bullpen closer role.

Carr's plan is to keep helping his team win.

"I'm not sure what role I'll have but whatever the team needs is what I'll do," he said.