Gaston College stays hot with second win in Rhinos Invitational in two days

The Gaston College Rhinos may have been feeling the fatigue of a stretch of three games in four days, but they played opportunistic baseball Saturday in a 12-2 win in seven innings over the USC-Sumter Fire Ants at Sims Legion Park.

The Rhinos (12-1) struck for four runs in the bottom of the first inning by capitalizing on walks, a costly three-run outfield error, and a hit batter to jump on top.

While Gaston College was not as explosive at the plate as usual, the Rhinos once again got strong starting and relief pitching to win going away.

"We were playing three nines in a row, and it looked like it," Gaston College Shohn Doty said. "We looked tired at times, and for us, I didn't think we played really well. For the first time, we were not sound defensively. But we took advantage of a miscommunication in left field, and of course, you can't walk batters, which they did today."

Five USC-Sumter pitchers combined to give up nine walks and two hit batters.

Gaston College starter Nolan Straniero went six innings to get the win, and both of the runs he gave up were unearned. David Sande pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

The game ended in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run single by Wade Kelly.

Freddie Oliver (2-3, two RBIs) was the only Rhino with multiple hits, but Korbin Pettigrew delivered in a reserve role by stroking a two-RBI single to right field in the bottom of the seventh.

Designated hitter J.D. Yakubinis, who hit two home runs and drove in five runs Friday in a win over Catawba Valley Community College, was handled carefully by the USC-Sumter mound staff.

Yakubinis walked and scored in the first, singled and scored in the third, was hit by a pitch in the fourth, and drew another base on balls in the seventh.

Straniero scattered four hits in his starting stint, struck out five and did not walk a batter.

"He (Straniero) gives us a chance every time out," Doty said. "He threw his pitches in the zone."

The Rhinos close out a busy week Sunday with a 3:30 rematch against rival Catawba Valley Community College at Sims Legion Park in the final game of the weekend Rhino Classic.

"They will bring the juice and the energy," Doty said of the Red Hawks. "We will see if we can finish with our tired bodies. Our pitching is in great shape, so we are looking forward to finishing up what can be a great week."