Gaston College sets school scoring records in Wednesday night victory

Gaston College set a school record for runs and victory margin in Wednesday night's 24-2 victory over Guilford Tech at Truist Point in High Point.

The Rhinos, ranked No. 12 in the National Junior College Athletic Association poll, No. 7 in thejbb.net and No 9 in the Dream Big Athletics polls, had 12 hits and drew 17 walks off 10 Titans' pitchers while improving to 27-3 overall.

The school's previous record for run total and victory came in its first-ever baseball game on April 1, 1968. In the first game of a doubleheader sweep of Randolph Tech, Gaston College won 23-5.

"I'm happy with where we're at offensively," Gaston College coach Shohn Doty said. "We were clean defensively and (starter and winner Jaxson) Mangum was really good in his first start of the year. He had eight strikeouts and kind of set of the tempo.
"I was really happy we kept playing. I was impressed."

In the victory, Adam Quintero continued his hot streak at the plate with four hits including a double and a home run and six RBIs. A sophomore from Monroe, Quintero is hitting .565 with 14 RBIs in the last six games.

Other offensive standouts for the Rhinos were Wade Kelly (2 hits, 1 RBI) and Pierson Gunnell (3-run home run, 4 total RBIs) on a night in which eight players collected at least one hit and Andrew Muraco drew 5 walks and scored 3 runs.

Gunnell's home run gave Gaston College its first runs after a scoreless first inning. The Rhinos followed with six in the third, one in the fourth, four in the fifth, two in the sixth and eight in the seventh.

It was more than enough support for five pitchers who combined on a 6-hitter. Starter and winner Jaxson Mangum went three innings with eight strikeouts and relievers Alex Jankowski and Landon Carr struck out the side in their respective innings and Sawyer Sutton had two strikeouts in one innings before the Titans (5-7) scored twice in the seventh off the Rhinos' fifth pitcher.

Gaston College next returns to Region 10 Division I league action with 1 p.m. doubleheaders at USC Salkehatchie on Saturday and Sunday.

"We'll practice tomorrow and we know a road series is always challenging," Doty said. "We've got to go down there and take care of business."