Region 10 play begins for Gaston College softball on Monday

A year ago this time, Gaston College's softball program knew it was better than its first season when it competed as a club team and struggled to a 4-16 overall record.

The Rhinos of coach Mike Steuerwald quickly gained respect in its first season of official Region 10 play.

Gaston College went 15-1 in league games (after an opening loss), then won the Region 10 postseason tournament and Mid-Atlantic District tournament to advance to the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series in Oxford, Ala.

This season, with six returning players and several talented freshman, the Rhinos have expectations and keep gaining more and more respect for their program.

Just last week, Gaston College received votes in the NJCAA poll for the first time and split a home series with longtime power and preseason No. 1 Division II program Louisburg.

And this week, the Rhinos will open Region 10 play as a favorite when they start their season at USC Union with a Monday 11 a.m. doubleheader.

"I would say the familiarity helps us from a coaching standpoint and from a returning players standpoint," Steuerwald said. "Heading into region play, we know we can't take anything for granted but also know that if we show up and play the way we're capable of, we'll be a in good spot."

Through 22 games, the Rhinos are off to a 19-3 start with their only losses coming to 2023 Region 17 champion Gordon State, 2023 Region 17 runner-up Georgia Military and Louisburg in doubleheader splits.

Gaston College also has had dominant pitching and hitting - led by two of the top statistical leaders in the country - and a solid defense.

Freshman right-hander Abigail Brewton is second in the country in strikeouts (101) and third in wins (11) with an 11-0 record and 0.69 ERA in her 11 starts.

And freshman outfielder Kendall Bradshaw is 25th in the country in hitting (.544) for a Rhinos' offense with nine .300 hitters.

Brewton and sophomore Abigail Gawlinski (8-3, 2.47 ERA) in her 11 starts has paired with Brewton to handle 122 1/3 of the 129 innings thrown this season.

And Bradshaw, freshman Alayna Patrick (.463), freshman Skye Harrington (.449), sophomore Gabrielle Porterfield (.446), freshman Grace Kealy (.360), freshman Dakota Marshall (.344), sophomore Logan Lilly (.324), freshman Layla Manning (.319) and freshman Emma Ghorley (.318) are the top hitters.

"Both Abbys have thrown really well and the offense has really been competitive up and down the lineup," said Steuerwald, whose team visits Louisburg on Wednesday in a 2 p.m. doubleheader before its Region 10 home opener against Florence-Darlington Tech next Saturday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. "That's taken a lot of pressure off the pitching staff since we've had several games where we didn't play seven games.
"People have bought into roles and from a depth standpoint, we're in a better place this year. So we plan to go out and, hopefully, compete for another region champoinship."