Gaston College plays two doubleheaders this weekend, including Sunday against the country's No. 2-ranked team
After an impressive opening weekend, Gaston College's baseball schedule gets a bit more challenging this weekend as the Rhinos host Southeastern Community College from Whiteville in a Saturday doubleheader and nationally-ranked Walters State, Tennessee in a Sunday doubleheader.
Rhinos' players and coaches alike look forward to the opportunity that awaits their team after they swept Roane State, Tennessee in two games by a combined 20-0 score and Gaston College pitchers yielded only one hit in 11 innings.
"It's a big weekend," said Rhinos pitcher J.D. Everett, who threw five no-hit innings in the 10-0, six-inning opening game victory. "We know we play a tough schedule, which helps us to get ranked higher.
"We like playing good teams but it really doesn't matter who we play. We have to go out there and play hard and play our best."
Gaston College went 41-9 last season in its inaugural year to win Region 10's Division II Western regular season title; As a first-year program, the Rhinos weren't eligible for postseason play.
This season, Gaston College will be eligible for postseason, is going to play in Region 10 Division I competition and received votes in the NJCAA preseason national Division I poll.
This weekend's opponents have enjoyed recent success as Southeastern has advanced to the last two Region 10 Division II tournaments and won postseason games in each season; The Rams will enter the weekend with a 2-1 record after an opening three-game series at Shelby's Cleveland Community College last weekend.
Walters State comes in with a national No. 2 preseason ranking in NJCAA Division I and as a four-time defending Region 7 champion. The Senators, who won the 2006 NJCAA World Series, have won 14 Region 7 titles, made 11 NJCAA World Series appearances and finished third in last spring's World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Walters State enters the weekend with a 3-0 record after sweeping Gaston College's Region 10 league rival USC Salkehatchie by a combined 56-5 score and the Senators will play a doubleheader at Rhinos' Region 10 rival USC Union on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"It's a big weekend," Gaston College coach Shohn Doty said. "We've got to take care of Southeastern first. They're a good team and they're going to be ready to play. And I know our guys are excited about playing Walters State. Heck, I'm excited about playing them. It's a chance to see where we are."
Just last week, thejbb.net website that's devoted to junior college baseball, rated the Rhinos' 2023 schedule as 34th toughest of the 170 NJCAA Division I teams this spring - and the toughest among the eight teams in Region 10.
"That's what I want us to do because it challenges us and makes us better," Doty said of his team's schedule. "So we're looking forward to it."
Five pitchers combined on the back-to-back shutouts last weekend, including starters Everett and Nolan Straniero who picked up the victories.
Offensively, the Rhinos banged out 18 hits for a collective .375 batting average led by Konni Durschlag (1.000 average, 1 home run, 4 RBIs), Preston Hall (.600 average, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs), Enrique Wood (.500 average, 1 double, 2 RBIs), Seth Christmas (.500 average), Pierson Gunnell (.500 average), J.D. Yakubinis (.500 average), Andrew Muraco (.400 average, 3 RBIs) and Wade Kelly (.375 average).
"We did well but we're always looking to improve," Doty said. "It's like I tell our guys all the time: It's not about how we're playing in February or March or even April. It's how we're playing in May.
"So it's a great start and we looking forward trying to keep it rolling this weekend."