Nationally-ranked Gaston College completes three-game sweep of Patrick & Henry Community College

Gaston College's weekend series against Patrick & Henry Community College served as a compelling example of the team's winning formula this season.

The Rhinos completed the three-game sweep Sunday with a 9-8 victory at Sims Legion Park, outlasting the visiting Patriots in a grind-it-out game that included a ninth-inning clutch relief stint by Konni Durschlag.

The outcome came on the heels of a Saturday doubleheader sweep in which the Rhinos won the opener 7-4 behind Gus Hughes's dominant pitching and the nightcap 4-3 in extra innings on Enrique Wood's walk-off RBI single.

"We seem to win by any means necessary," Rhinos coach Shon Doty said. "We were searching for energy, and they (Patrick & Henry) were searching for energy. I am proud of our guys. It shows how resilient we are."

Gaston College improved to 30-2 overall, 20-1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association's Region 10 Division II. The Rhinos are ranked among the top five teams in all three National Junior College Athletic Association polls.

In a contest in which the momentum went back and forth, the Rhinos took a 9-7 lead into the top of the ninth. However, Patrick & Henry opened the inning with back-to-back hits, forcing Doty to make his sixth pitching change of the game.

The Gaston College mentor summoned Durschlag from left field to the mound, and the freshman from Charlotte worked out of a bases-load jam to get the save.

Durschlag, who missed Saturday's twin bill with an illness, nicked pinch hitter Kyle Whitaker with an inside fastball, then gave up a run-scoring single by Skyler Saunders to pull the Patriots within 9-8.

But the righthander got a line out and a strikeout to end the game and record his fourth save of the season.

"I struck (Javian Serrano) out on an 0-2 slider down the middle," Durschlag noted. "I don't think he was ready for it at all. I just hung it in there."

Durschlag added, "I am always ready to come in. Coach (Doty) told me to start getting loose in the outfield and to start throwing a little harder. He said if they get guys on base, he will find a way to get me in to close the door."

Patrick & Henry (18-14, 11-8) pushed across four runs in the third inning to tie the game 4-all, but the Rhinos answered with three in the bottom half of that inning to regain the lead for good.

Even though the Patriots outhit Gaston College 10-7, the Rhinos managed to avoid the big inning as the game moved into the middle and late innings.

Top hitters for the Rhinos were Miller St. John (2-for-4, two RBIs), J.D. Yakubinis (2-for-3, two runs scored), Wade Kelly (RBI double) and Wood (RBI double).

The Rhinos will take Monday off before returning to practice Tuesday to prepare for a Wednesday home game against Division II rival Cleveland Community College.