![Gaston College's Pierson Gunnell is greeted by his teammates after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning. [Todd Baney photo]](/sports/bsb/2021-22/Bsb-Pierson_Gunnell-220320-B.jpg?max_width=600)
Nationally-ranked Gaston College completes weekend series sweep of USC Lancaster
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
USC Lancaster | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 1 |
|
Gaston College | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | X | 16 | 11 | 2 |
Nationally-ranked Gaston College won its fourth straight game by completing a two-game weekend sweep of USC Lancaster with a 16-6 victory in the school's first official game at historic Sims Legion Park.
The Rhinos (23-1), ranked in the top eight of all three National Junior College Athletic Association Division II baseball polls, won 16-4 in eight innings in Saturday's game at Division I USC Lancaster; Sunday's game was ended by the 10-run mercy rule after 6 1-2 innings.
Gaston College visits Division I Louisburg on Wednesday at 4 p.m. before returning home for the official grand re-opening of Sims Legion Park in Saturday's 3 p.m. doubleheader against Wake Tech; Sims Legion opened in 1950 and underwent renovations from a grass field to a turf field after Gaston College held practice and played some scrimmage games last fall.
"To get a run rule victory in our first game back at Sims Legion Park against a Division I team was big," Rhinos coach Shohn Doty said. "Now we've got a big week ahead of us and it's good to have some momentum going into the week."
USC Lancaster took leads of 1-0 and 3-2 after the top of the first and second innings before Gaston College broke the game open in the bottom of the second with six runs. The Rhinos scored five in the fifth and two more in the sixth to build a 10-run lead.
The Rhinos got at least one hit out of all nine positions in the batting order and were led by Konni Durschlag (two hits, double, RBI) and Pierson Gunnell (two hits, home run, two RBIs). Other big hits came from Chandler Riley (two-run home run), Ahmir Cournier (two-run single), J.D. Yakubinis (three-run double), Wade Kelly (RBI double), Trenton Snyder (RBI double) and Miller St. John (RBI single and sacrifice fly).
That 11-hit offense provided more than enough support for starter and winner J.D. Everett (4 2-3 innings) and relievers David Sande (2-3 inning), Arnav Ghuliani (2-3 inning) and Marlowe Iorio (1 inning).
"We had some uncharacteristic mistakes on the mound and in the field today," Doty said. "But we found ways to minimize the damage not give up a huge inning."
