Expectations high for resilient Rhinos as they begin their defense of Region 10 title on Thursday

When you're team has a 47-7 overall record and received attention in the National Junior College Athletic Association polls for nearly three months, it's hard for head coach to be disappointed.

That's exactly where Gaston College head softball coach Mike Steuerwald is as his team prepares to defend its Region 10 championship later this week in Sumter, S.C.

Steuerwald points to a resiliency his team has developed in the infrequent moments of adversity this season.

You can call it confidence, steely resolve or just good old-fashioned high expectations, but the Rhinos have stood tall all season long.

"One thing I love about our group is that they have been so even keel," Steuerwald said. "They're never too high off of a win or too low off of a loss.
"You know, we've never got swept this year. Six of those seven were front end of doubleheaders and we came back in the second game to earn a split."

Those second-game wins were at Region 17 favorites Gordon State and Georgia Military, at No. 6-ranked Walters State, a Region 10 runner-up Florence-Darlington Tech and in both doubleheaders against No. 2-ranked Division II team Louisburg - at home and on the road.

Because of those impressive responses, Steuerwald says a mindset of resiliency had developed on the team.

"Internally as a group, we know that if we play our best ball that we're going to put ourselves in a position to be successful and have a chance to win any day of the week against anyone," said Steuerwald, whose team has received votes in the National Junior College Athletic Association Poll for nine of the last 10 weeks. "So that's kind of the mindset that we have."

Grace Manning (.565 average, 13 RBIs), Alayna Patrick (.471 average, 11 home runs, 61 RBIs, 31 stolen bases), Kendall Bradshaw (.446 average, 2 home runs, 45 RBIs, 18 stolen bases), Gabrielle Porterfield (.407 average, 2 home runs, 36 RBIs, 34 stolen bases), Grace Kealy (.397 average, 16 home runs, 79 RBIs, 9 stolen bases), Skye Harrington (.394 average, 6 home runs, 50 RBIs, 10 stolen bases), Emma Ghorley (.370 average, 8 home runs, 52 RBIs), Dakota Marshall (.367 average, 1 home run, 38 RBIs, 32 stolen bases), Layla Manning (.354 average, 18 RBIs, 13 stolen bases), Logan Lilly (.351 average, 20 RBIs) and Gracie Brown (.323 average, 10 RBIs, 6 stolen bases) lead an offense with a .392 team batting average and averages 9.0 runs per game.

Abigail Brewton (22-1 record, 2 saves, 1.56 ERA, 179 strikeouts) and Abigal Gawlinski (21-5 record, 2.08 ERA, 110 strikeouts) lead a pitching staff that yields 2.5 runs per game.