Rhinos World Series to conclude fall baseball drills
Following a fall scrimmage schedule tha has seen Gaston College's baseball team play showcase events at NCAA Division I schools Campbell, Gardner-Webb, High Point and USC Upstate, NCAA Division II Lenoir-Rhyne and Gastonia's Sims Legion Park, the team will hold the Rhinos World Series on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at its home ball park.
The best-of-three intrasquad World Series will be played at 2 p.m. each day and it will conclude fall drills for Gaston College, which opens its 2025 spring season on January 25.
Additionally, the first of what is expected to be several players from head coach Shohn Doty's team to commit for four-year colleges and universities - pitcher Connor Frail - has announced his commitment to College of Charleston of the Colonial Athletic Association.
A 6-foot-5, 215-pounnd right-hander from Winston-Salem R.J. Reynolds High School, Frail went 5-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 starts last season for the Rhinos as they went 51-8 and were ranked No. 1 in the nation for five weeks in the Dream Big Athletics poll, four weeks in the National Junior College Athletic Association poll, two weeks in the 2-Year Baseball poll and one week in the Perfect Game poll
"Charleston is a great opportunity for me," said Frail, who also received recruiting interest from Appalachian State, Western Carolina, The Citadel and UNC Greensboro. "I talked to (associate head) coach (Will) Dorton and all of the other coaches (including head coach Chad Holbrook from nearby Shelby). It was a great visit.
"I knew they were really big on the development aspect which is really big for me as a pitcher. And they're going to win, which is obviously something you want. Their location was great. and everybody on the coaching staff teaches and believes in the same philosophy."
Frail becomes the 47th player in the program since it restarted in the fall of 2021 to commit and/or sign with a four-year college.
This week, Frail is a member of Team K.J. McAllister (Rhinos assistant coach). McAllister will be assisted by players Gabe Simmons and Braxton Beal. Other members of the team are Daniel Parris, Connor Frail, Jackson Toberman, Terry Kaler, Isaac Armstrong, Trey Markham, Cross Clayton, Elijah Grant, Jake McCoy, Jack Newell, Jake Young, Ethan Suchenski, Langston Rupert, Colby Vanhook, Ellis Windheim, Justin Smith, Tyler Rosario and Brendan Fulcher.
Team Kyler Johnston (Rhinos assistant coach) is the opponent. Johnston will be assisted by players Jackson Berini and Clayton Sherwood and the members of the team are David Nicks, Sam Dansky, Noah Zimmerman, Nick Martinez, Drake Purvis, Ryan Brinkley, Joey Nicholson, Brandon Crabtree, Alex Sobol, Alex Tawa, Nick Lundquist, Chris Hendrickson, Carter Jessen, Ty Corbin, Koy Swanson, Ethan McNally, Julius Sellars, Tyler Asbury and Travis Smith.