Nationally-ranked Gaston College sweeps doubleheader at Guilford Tech

Gaston College improved its winning streak to six while completing its ninth doubleheader sweep this season with victories over Guilford Tech on Saturday.

The nationally-ranked Rhinos won 8-2 in the opener and 9-4 in the nightcap of a doubleheader played at Ragsdale High School in Jamestown.

"We talk every weekend about wanting to win the series," said Gaston College coach Shohn Doty, whose team is ranked in the top four of all three National Junior College Athletic Association polls. "And we've won another series and now we will be looking to complete a three-game sweep."

Gaston College (33-2, 23-1) plays at Guilford Tech on Sunday at noon in the final game of their three-game Region 10 Division II West series.

In Saturday's opener, starter Gus Hughes pitched six strong innings with 10 strikeouts to improve to 6-0 on the season and Hunter Shew finished up with three innings of hitless relief for his first save.

Enrique Wood's three hits and two RBIs led an 11-hit offense that scored three times in the first inning and led 4-0 after 1 1-2 innings. Pierson Gunnell added a double, home run and three RBIs and Konni Durchslag hit a home run.

In Saturday's nightcap, starter J.D. Everett went four innings with seven strikeouts to improve to 7-0 on the season before relievers David Sande (2 2-3 innings) and Alex Hall (1-3 inning) closed out the win.

Gaston College trailed 2-0 after three innings before an eight-run fourth put the game away. J.D. Yakubinis had a RBI double, Wood a RBI single and Ahmir Cournier a three-run triple in the rally that also included Wade Kelly scoring from second base on a wild pitch to give the Rhinos the lead for good at 3-2.

"That play by Kelly kind of jump started our guys a little bit," Doty said. "That was the kind of explosive inning we haven't had in awhile."

Cournier, Yakubinis and Durschlag had two hits apiece to lead Gaston College's nine-hit offense.