No. 14 Gaston College extends winning streak in opener of 3-game Region 10 series

Gaston College's No. 14-ranked baseball team travelled to No. 8 Florence Darlington Tech for a three-game Region 10 Division I opening series with huge implications.

But after winning 8-2 in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader, Gaston College suffered frustration with losses in the second (8-4) and third games (20-9) of arguably the biggest series in the National Junior College Athletic Association this weekend.

"I'm obviously disappointed in the outcome of the series," said Gaston College coach Shohn Doty, who was ejected in the second game of the series and thus unable to coach the Rhinos in the third game. "And I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to be on the field and try to help our guys.
"I'm the leader and I have to do a better job. I didn't feel like I did anything that warranted an ejection and I haven't had an ejection since I've been here. But the umpire did and I have to be better with that.
"I think it affected the series and my job is to put our team in the best position to win and I didn't do that. That's on me."

In the opener, Gaston College overcame an early 1-0 deficit with runs in the second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Koy Swanson had two hits and one RBI, Joey Nicholson a hit and RBI, Daniel Parris a home run and Isaac Armstrong a hit and three RBIs to lead an eight-hit attack.

And Noah Zimmerman started and went the first 4 2/3 innings for the victory with Alex Sobol going the final 2 1/3 innings for a save as Gaston College won its 11th straight game.

Parris (5 hits, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 5 RBIs), Jackson Toberman (4 hits, 2 RBIs), Swanson (5 hits, home run, 3 RBIs), Chris Hendrickson (2 hits, double, 2 RBIs) and Armstrong (2 hits, 3 RBIs) were offensive standouts during the weekend.

On the mound in the last two games, 11 different pitchers yielded 20 hits, 16 walks and nine hit batters that was too much for the Rhinos to overcome.

"We're not going to make any excuses," Doty said. "It was an embarassing performance and not something that Gaston College baseball is used to. All credit goes to Florence. They outplayed us. We get a chance to even the score at our place in a month and a half."

The Rhinos host Wake Tech on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in a non-league contest before another road series Saturday and Sunday at USC Sumter.

"We need to get back out there, get back on the horse and get better," Doty said. "We're really just looking for a spark and some energy up and down the lineup.
"I said before the season started that this group was going to be a work in progress. And it continues to be that.
"We win 11 straight and then go out and play as poorly as we did (Sunday). We've just got to continue to work and continue to get better."