Gaston College celebrates "Sophomore Day" as Gawlinski throws perfect game in DH sweep

You couldn't have scripted a better "Sophomore Day" for Gaston College's seven honorees on Sunday at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.

Particularly for pitcher Abigail Gawlinski.

Gawlinski, who was honored alongside Gracie Brown, Tessa Hunt, Kinsey Johnson, Logan Lilly, Grace Manning and Gabrielle Porterfield before Saturday's doubleheader sweep of USC Sumter, set personal history and matched school history by pitching a perfect game in the opener.

A right-hander from Des Plaines, Ill., who transferred from the University of Green Bay, Gawlinski needed 55 pitches to retire all 15 visiting Fire Ants batters in an 11-0 victory.

The Rhinos completed the sweep with another 5-inning mercy rule victory, 14-3, behind starter and winner Abigail Brewton and another offensive outburst in the team's home finale of the 2024 season.

Brewton on February 10 had thrown the school's first perfect game in a 12-0, 5-inning victory over Fayetteville Tech.

"I remember the excitement in the dugout when that was going on," Gawlinski said of Brewton's perfect game two months ago. "I started thinking after having a chance for this one after the third inning when we were up by eight. I knew I just had to mow them down and there were six outs left."

Only a third inning grounder to second baseman Logan Lilly appeared a possibility for a USC Sumter baserunner as the ball bounced awkwardly off Lilly's chest before Lilly recovered in time to catch and throw the runner out at first base.

For the game, Gawlinski had five strikeouts and got 10 groundouts. The Fire Ants never hit a ball into the outfield.

"She pitched lights out in that game," Gaston College Mike Steuerwald said of Gawlinski. "She was attacking the zone and it's fun to watch her when she's in that mode"

For Gawlinski, who had thrown no-hitters in high school but never a perfect game, the only down side was that her parents weren't able to attend the "Sophomore Day" ceremonies.

"I just wish my parents were here," she said of her mother and father Noeme and Mark. "So I want to give a shout out to them."

Grace Kealy (3 hits, 2 home runs, 3 RBIs), Kendall Bradshaw (3 hits, home run, 2 RBIs), Emma Ghorley (2 hits, double) and Skye Harrington (2 doubles, 3 RBIs) led the offense.

In the nightcap, Kealy's third home run of the game - which gives her a school-record 13 this season - gave the Rhinos the lead for good at 2-1 in the bottom of the first inning.

Dakota Marshall (3 hits, double, 5 RBIs) and Grace Manning (2 hits, 2 RBIs) led the offense and Brewton fired a four-hitter with three strikeouts.

"It was just a phenomenal job," said Steuerwald, whose team improved to 38-6 overall and 11-1 in Region 10. "I told those sophomores that the bar they've set for this program is really high. They're 81-16 since they've been here and we have a chance this week to win 40 games in the regular season for the first time in school history and a chance to win the conference regular season title this weekend.
"So the bar for future teams is really high with everything that they've done for us."

This week starts four straight challenging road doubleheaders - Tuesday at 1 p.m. against Patrick & Henry Community College, April 19 at 1 p.m. against Florence-Darlington Tech, April 22 at 3 p.m. at Surry Community College and April 24 at 3 p.m. at Caldwell Tech.

Patrick & Henry is currently No. 4 in the NJCAA Division III poll, Florence-Darlington Tech (25-10, 9-3) is in second place behind Gaston College in the Region 10 Division I standings, Surry Community College is No. 2 in the NJCAA Division III poll and Caldwell Tech is No. 3 in the NJCAA Division III poll.