No. 4 Gaston College sweeps Saturday road doubleheader

Gaston College's No. 4-ranked baseball team bounced back from a disappointing weekend by heading to Shelby on Saturday to sweep Cleveland Community College on Saturday.

The Rhinos (42-5) won 8-3 in the opener and 15-5 in the nightcap.

"We responded in a more positive way today when things didn't go our way," Gaston College coach Shohn Doty said. "I know we'll get back to where we want to be but I was happy that we were able to grind through it and get two wins."

In the opener, the Rhinos scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to break open a close game.

Starter and winner Mason Smith improved to 8-0 with seven innings of six-hit ball with nine strikeouts while yielding three runs (one earned). Gabe Hernandez relieved and pitched two scoreless innings with five strikeouts for a save.

Seth Christmas (3 hits, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs), Trent Murchison (2 hits, 2 RBIs) and Freddie Oliver (2 hits, home run, 1 RBI) led a nine-hit offense that also drew nine walks and five hit batters.

Oliver's solo home run and Christmas' two-run single highlighted the ninth-inning game-clinching rally.

In the nightcap, the Rhinos erupted for their third double-figure inning of the year in the top of the first inning to give Gaston College a comfortable working margin.

Relievers J.J. DeVos (4 innings, 2 hits, 3 strikeouts) and Shane Thorson (1 inning, 3 strikeouts) held the host Yetis (19-19) scoreless with DeVos improving to 4-0 with the victory.

Andrew Muraco (3 hits, home run, 4 RBIs), Brandon Crabtree (3 hits, 3 RBIs), Caleb Estes (2 hits, double, 1 RBI) and Ethan McNally (2 hits) led a 14-hit offense that also drew 10 walks and three hit batters.

"We're not playing real well, but we're playing OK," said Doty, whose team split last weekend's Region 10 Division I doubleheader at USC Union by winning the opener by 31-11 and 14-0 margins and losing 5-4 and 2-1 in the nightcaps. "The difference between this weekend and last weekend is that we found ways to win today."

Gaston College closes out the three-game road series at Cleveland Community College at 1 p.m. on Sunday.