Top-ranked Gaston College records DH sweep over perennial Region 10 power

After losing the opener of a four-game series on Friday with perennial power Spartanburg Methodist, Gaston College's top-ranked baseball program bounced back in a big way and swept Saturday's doubleheader at Gastonia's Sims Legion Park to take a 3-1 series victory.

"We hadn't lost an opening game of a series all year long," said Rhinos coach Shohn Doty, whose team won 8-2 and 14-6 on Saturday. "And that response says volumes about our team. We went out, for the most part, and kept them from even getting close after losing that opener."

Ranked No. 1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association poll for the first time in school history earlier in the week, Gaston College lost 4-2 to all-time Region 10 winner Spartanburg Methodist in the opener of the four-game series on Friday afternoon.

But following that defeat, the Rhinos won the last three games of the series by a combined 32-8 score. The wins improved their record to 38-3 overall and 15-1 in Region 10.

In Saturday's sweep, Landon Carr followed up on his first collegiate start from last weekend with another gem as he limited the Pioneers (29-9, 12-4) to five hits, one walk, one hit batter and two runs with eight strikeouts to improve his seasonal record to 3-1. Carr recently became the eighth Gaston College player to make his commitment official to a four-year school for next year when he announced his plans to sign with Campbell University.

Offensively, Carr was supported by a patient, efficient and effective attack that turned three hits, nine walks, two hit batters and one throwing error into its eight runs.

Leadoff batter Trent Murchison walked, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on another groundout in the first inning to give the Rhinos a lead they would never give up.

In the second inning, Gaston College generated three runs from a hit batter, a walk, Andrew Muraco's bunt hit, a throwing error and passed ball for a 4-0 lead.

Four walks, a hit batter and Seth Christmas' double made it 7-0 in the fifth and Sean Sullivan closed the scoring with a solo home run to center in the sixth.

In the nightcap, the Rhinos scored seven runs in the first, four in the second, one in the third and two in the fifth as Sullivan (3 hits, double, 2 hits), Ben Karpowicz (3 hits, double, 2 RBIs), Christmas (2 hits, RBI), Brandon Crabtree (2 hits, 3 RBIs), Murchison (RBI single) and Caleb Estes (RBI double) were the hitting stars.

Reliever Gabe Hernandez came on in the third inning after starter Wagner Morrissette was victimized by two errors that made three of the six runs he allowed unearned. Hernandez improved to 3-0 with five scoreless innings with three strikeouts while yielding six hits.

The game ended on a neatly turned double play from second baseman Gabe Simmons to shorstop Estes to first baseman Freddie Oliver.

"We did a great job of being patient at the plate and using the running game," Doty said. "And since we talk so much about defense, I thought it was appropriate to end the game with a double play."

Gaston College is idle until next weekend when they play their final Region 10 Division I road four-game series in 1 p.m. doubleheaders at USC Union on April 6 and 7.