Gaston College softball splits DH with No. 6 Walters State

Nationally sixth-ranked Walters State knocked Gaston College back in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday at Gastonia's Caromont Health Park.

But to the Rhinos' credit, they regrouped and rebounded to win game two 5-1 and to earn a split of the twinbill after the visiting Senators rolled 10-2 in the opener in six innings.

"It wasn't that we didn't come ready to go in game one, it was an eye opener for the freshmen in our lineup to see the speed of a World Series-caliber team with the pitching and the bats," Gaston College coach Michael Steuerwald said.

"I thought in the second game we adapted to what they did, and our people just played at a quicker pace and higher level. You never want to get run-ruled in a game, so it was really big to come back."

Among those who took their games to a higher level were pitcher Abigail Brewton, outfielder Gabrielle Porterfield and shortstop Dakota Marshall.

Even though she struggled all game with her control, Brewton pitched out of several tight situations to go the distance in the circle.

For example, she recorded back-to-back strikeouts in the top of the first inning with runners at first and third to get out of a jam with no runs across.

In the top of the second inning, Brewton walked in the first run of the game but recovered to get a bases-loaded strikeout and avoid the big inning.

Again, in the top of the fifth, the Enka High School product worked her way out of a tense situation with Walters State runners at the corners, getting a flyout to left field to quell the threat.

For the game, Brewton gave up five hits, allowed one earned run, struck out five and walked seven.

"She was not at her best control-wise, but every time she got into a jam she was able to make pitches and trust her stuff and find a way to work herself out of it," Steuerwald said of Brewton's clutch pitching.

Offensively, Porterfield and Marshall delivered big hits with runners on base. Porterfield, who went 3-for-4 for the game, hit a two-run triple to left field in the bottom of the second to give the Rhinos a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Marshall doubled to deep right field to knock in two more runs and extend the lead to 5-1. Marshall finished 2-for-4 with the clutch double, and Kendall Bradshaw had two hits in four at-bats.

In game one, the teams matched two-run home runs in the first inning. Jules Johnson connected for the Senators and the Rhinos' Grace Kealy tied the game in the bottom of that inning with a two-run shot.

However, Walters State surged ahead 6-2 in the second inning and went up 8-2 in the third inning when Kailey Dixon went yard with a runner on base.

The Senators' Johnson added a solo homer in the sixth inning for the Senators to finish 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

Walters State starting pitcher Tori Coffman held the Rhinos in check after the first inning and finished with a two-hitter while recording four strikeouts. Bradshaw had the other Gaston College hit off Coffman.

Gaston College starting pitcher Abigail Gawlinski went two innings before yielding to Emma Ghorley, who went the rest of the way in the circle.

The doubleheader split left the Rhinos with a 27-5 record. Walters State is now 23-3.

The Rhinos return to Region 10-Division I action Wednesday with a doubleheader against USC-Union at Caromont Health Park, starting at 4 p.m.