Gaston College records impressive sweep over Combine Academy

Gaston College coach Shohn Doty wanted to see how his team would respond after splitting a home doubleheader with No. 2-ranked Walters State, Tennessee, last week.

Has Doty ever gotten a positive response as the Rhinos extended their winning streak to five with an impressive doubleheader sweep by 14-0 and 16-1 margins in a pair of games shortened to five innings by the 10-run mercy rule.

In the opener, right-handers Nolan Straniero and Tyler Parks combined on the school's second no-hitter of the season as Straniero retired all 12 batters he faced in four innings and Parks yielding two one-hit walks in a hitless fifth inning to close out the victory.

"It's always good to end with a no-hit ballgame," said Straniero, a freshman from Raleigh's Leesville Road High School who has signed to pitch at Elon University next season. "This pitching staff is really good and I think it's going to continue to be good."

Gaston College's offense supported Straniero and Parks with seven-run first and third innings. The Rhinos' 9-hit offensive attack was led by Freddie Oliver (2 hits, double, 1 RBI), Miller St. John (2 hits, triple, 1 RBI), Trey Truitt (3-run home run), Adam Quintero (2-run double) and Pierson Gunnell (2-run double).

In the nightcap, starter Kyle McKernan extended the scoreless innings streak to 8 1-3 innings before yielding a two-out RBI single in the fourth. A right-hander from Waxhaw's Marvin Ridge High School, McKernan struck out nine and yielded three hits in his four innings before reliever Dusty Sanderlin struck out two of the three batters he faced in a hitless fifth to close out the win.

The Rhinos' tallied one in the first, four in the third and erupted for a season-best 11-run inning in the fourth. Andrew Muraco (3 hits, double, home run, 2 RBIs), Truitt (2 hits, double, 2 RBIs), Seth Christmas (2 hits, double, 3 RBIs), Matthew Dobson (2 hits, 2 RBIs) and Quintero (2-run double) led a 12-hit offense.

"I'm extremely happy with the progression that we're making," Gaston College coach Shohn Doty said. "We're getting timely hitting with the defense and the pitching and it's been a good first 10 games."

Gaston College remains at home next week as the Rhinos host Caldwell Tech on Wednedsay at 2 p.m., then host Catawba Valley Community College and USC Sumter in the first Rhinos Invitational next weekend.

"We kind of on a roll right now," Straniero said. "We wanted to continue the momentum from Walters State last weekend and I think we were able to do that."