Gaston College softball has more depth and same high expectations entering 2024 season

A year ago this time, Gaston College's softball team had a small roster and little to no expectations entering its first full season of competition.

After an early-season injury cost the team one of its top players, coach Mike Steuerwald and his Rhinos' coaching staff defined the roles of the team's remaining 13 players and what followed was an unexpected and historic run to the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series.

Following up on that 43-10 season will be a challenge but an 18-player roster that includes six returnees is eager to repeat as Region 10 champions while also pursuing another trip to the World Series.

"It's a whole new and different team but our goals are still to win the Region and advance to the World Series," said Steuerwald, whose team opens its 2024 season against Bryant & Stratton, Va., on Jan. 31. "We've got some returning pieces but, for the most part, we're just trying to get this group to gel.
"But I really like the depth we have if we can stay healthy and I like the athleticism that we have. We have a lot of versatile pieces that can give us depth in certain spots."

Of the six returning players, five were starters in catcher Gracie Brown, second basebman Logan Lilly, outfielders Gabrielle Porterfield and Grace Manning and pitcher Tessa Hunt. Two of them - Lilly and Grace Manning - had offseason surgeries.

And 12 newcomers joined the program that played a challenging 11-game fall schedule against 10 four-year schools, among them Appalachian State, Gardner-Webb, N.C. State, Queens, USC Upstate and Winthrop from NCAA Division I.

"We got so beat up in the fall with that tough schedule that we played that we've got to remind ourselves what it's like to win again," Steuerwald said.

As with any softball team, the success or failure will most frequently be determined by its pitching staff.

With the Rhinos, Hunt and newcomers Abigail Brewton, Abigail Gawlinski, Emma Ghorley and Phoebe Cole comprise the staff.

Hunt went 9-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 22 appearances (14 starts) highlighted by an 8-0 shutout victory at Spartanburg Methodist in the 2023 regular season finale.

Brewton (Enka), Ghorley (Highland Tech) and Cole (Carson) were N.C. prep standout pitchers and Gawlinski was a Horizon Conference All-Freshman team selection at the University of Green Bay in 2022 after going 9-6 with a 3.04 ERA in 20 appearances (16 starts) before an injury sidelined here for the entire 2023 season.

"Both Abbys are going to be our 1-2 punch and not necessarily in any order," Steuerwald said. "The nice thing this season is that we've got added depth in the circle.
"Tessa's got experience from last season and she's pitched extremely well. And Emma Ghorley and Phoebe Cole give us another look from the other three."

Brown played in 50 of 53 games last season at catcher while hitting .270 with one home run and 18 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. Skye Harrington, who hit .364 for Monroe Piedmont High last season, will serve as the backup and get some starts.

Alayna Patrick and Dakota Marshall also have catching experience.

The injury to current Gardner-Webb freshman Jailyn Tineo, who missed the last 47 games of the season, meant Brown had to catch the final 39 games of the season.

"When we lost Jailyn last year that put a lot of pressure on Gracie," Steuerwald said. "So it's nice that Skye's going to be back there and split some time with her."

Around the infield, Ghorley, Johnson and Kinsey Reid are first base candidates, Patrick, Rebecca Clark and Lilly (when healthy) are second base candidates, Grace Kealy, Harrington and Patrick are third base candidates and Marshall and Patrick are shortstop candidates.

"Emma Ghorley is one of our key bats in our lineup so she's going to find her way in our lineup somehow," Steuerwald said of the freshman who hit .673 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs last year for Gastonia's Highland Tech. "We've got a lot of options at all of those positions."

Porterfield will lead the outfield as the centerfielder with Layla Manning (right field) and Kendall Bradshaw (left field) at the other two spots and Patrick (left field), Cole (right field) and Grace Manning (right field when healthy) competing for playing time.

"We're so much deeper," Steuerwald said. "It gives us versatility to have lineups that are offensive-minded or defensive-minded depending on what we're trying to do at the time."