Gaston College baseball has 7 honored by Region 10 including player of the year Quintero

Gaston College's baseball program continues to gain respect.

It gained even more on Friday when 2023 All-Region 10 Division I baseball honors were announced with seven Rhinos, including player of the year Adam Quintero, on the team selected by the league's coaches.

Rhinos' honorees were first team infielder and player of the year Quintero, first team outfielder Trey Truitt, first team pitcher Derek Vartanian, second team outfielder Wade Kelly, second team pitcher Nolan Straniero, second team pitcher Kyle McKernan and all-defensive team shortstop Enrique Wood.

"We talk all the time about development in our program and it shows up when you have this many guys make all-conference," said Gaston College coach Shohn Doty, whose team finished 41-9 in the regular season and was ranked throughout the year in National Junior College Athletic Association polls. "And having a player of the year speaks to the development process that is in our program."

On Friday, Gaston College defeated Louisburg 11-3 in the opening round of the Region 10 postseason tournament to improve to 42-9.

Quintero, who came to Gaston College after one season at William & Mary, is hitting .423 with seven home runs, 54 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 43 games this season for the Rhinos. In 22 Region 10 games, he hit .415 with two home runs, 22 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

"It's a credit to him and how much better he's gotten since he got here," Doty said of Quintero, who is a 2021 Monroe Piedmont High graduate. "He's put in the work and he deserves it. His numbers speak for themselves."

Truitt is hitting .319 with 12 home runs, 57 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 49 games.

Vartanian has a 7-0 pitching record with one save, a 2.36 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 61 innings during 15 appearances (9 starts).

Kelly, who was a second team Region 10 Division II all-league selection last year, is hitting .350 with five home runs, 31 RBIs and 32 stolen bases in 51 games.

Straniero has a 9-3 pitching record, a 3.90 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings during 14 appearances (13 starts).

McKernan has a 5-1 pitching record, a 2.98 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings during 10 appearances (8 starts).

And Wood has a .945 fielding percentage in 128 total chances with 14 double plays while hitting .339 with two home runs, 27 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 42 games.