Gaston College softball sweeps Spartanburg Methodist, stays atop Region 10 standings

Emma Ghorley tied a pair of school records and picked up a pitching victory in relief as the Gaston College softball team swept a Region 10 doubleheader by 10-4 and 15-4 scores at Spartanburg Methodist to stay atop the league standings.

Ghorley had seven hits total in the sweep, including school records of five hits and two home runs in the nightcap as the Rhinos improved to 31-5 overall and 7-1 in Region 10.

"Those were some big wins for us," said Gaston College coach Mike Steuerwald, whose team has received votes in the National Junior College Athletic Association poll in four of the last five weeks. "It's big to win on the road. We're halfway through our conference schedule and we're in first place so we feel good about that."

Ghorley (7 hits, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 6 RBIs), Alayna Patrick (5 hits, double, home run, 4 RBIs), Grace Kealy (4 hits, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs), Gabrielle Porterfield (3 hits, double, 1 RBI), Skye Harrington (2 hits, double, home run, 4 RBIs) and Gracie Brown (2 hits, 2 RBIs) led the offense in the doubleheader.

And Abigail Gawlinski pitched a seven-hitter with four strikeouts in the opener and Ghorley took the win in the nightcap after 3 1/3 innings of scoreless, two-hit relief with four strikeouts; Ghorley also .

"We hit the ball extremely well today up and down throughout the lineup," Steuerwald said. "Emma did a great job in the circle and at the plate today for us. It was a great day for her."

Ghorley's five hits tie a record first set by Serena Yalich in the school's 2022 inaugural season against Wake Tech and Gabrielle Porterfield last season against Spartanburg Methodist. And her two home runs tied current teammates Kealy (Feb. 2 against Gordon State) and Patrick (Feb. 16 against Patrick & Henry).

The Rhinos are idle until Friday's 2 p.m. doubleheader against Region 10 Division II opponent Brunswick Community College at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.