Gaston College gets solid pitching in season-opening doubleheader sweep

Abigail Brewton pitched a shutout in her first college game, and Gaston College combined clutch hitting with "small ball" to sweep a doubleheader in its softball season opener Wednesday at Stinger Park in Bessemer City.

A first-year player out of Enka High School, Brewton fashioned a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts to lead the Rhinos to a series-sweeping 6-0 win over Bryant & Stratton of Virginia in game two of the doubleheader.

In game one, University of Green Bay transfer Abigal Gawlinski went the distance in the circle in a 6-3 Rhinos victory. Gawlinski, a Horizon Conference All-Freshman Team selection in 2022, had a shutout going until the sixth inning, when the Bobcats broke through for two runs.

The solid pitching in the doubleheader was a good omen for head coach Mike Steuerwald.

"Both Abbies (Brewton and Gawlinski) were really, really good," Steuerwald said. "Anytime you throw a shutout in your first college game and strike out 13, that's really cool. Those two are going to be a great complement to each other as we move forward."

On offense, infielder Dakota Marshall went 4-for-6 with three RBIs for the doubleheader, including a two-out two-RBI double to right field in the second inning of game two to put the Rhinos on top to stay at 2-0.

Alayna Patrick also had two hits and an RBI in game two as Gaston College got the win over the Bobcats' Abigail Epperson, a Division I transfer from Liberty University.

"We beat a Division I arm and put six runs on the board," Steuerwald said. "They're a good club with two good arms in the circle. So, this was a really good day for us."

Marshall, Ghorley and Gracie Brown collected two hits each to lead a nine-hit attack in the first game. Ghorley and Grace Kealy had RBI doubles.

The Rhinos ran the bases aggressively in the 6-3 win, stealing three bases and advancing runners with the bunt game.

"We created chaos on the bases, and we created chaos with the small game, which was fun," Steuerwald said. "We have a lot of versatility in our lineup, and you saw that tonight when some people are struggling a little bit and we go to the small game to get things rolling."

There was only one home run in the doubleheader, a solo shot by the Bobcats' Kiara Selby in the top of the seventh. Rhinos centerfielder Gabrielle Porterfield barreled into the portable 200-foot fence in an attempt to run down Selby's drive and took a spill. She did not appear to be injured from the collision.

"We were playing on a 200-foot fence today, and any other day Gabby (Porterfield) is catching that ball," Steuerwald noted.

In game two, Brewton walked the first collegiate batter to face her, but she gathered herself and proceeded to strike out the side. After that, the freshman breezed through the rest of the game, not allowing any Bryan & Stratton runners past second base.

The Rhinos hit the road this weekend with doubleheaders Friday at Gordon State, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and Saturday at Georgia Military College, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.