No. 23 Gaston College softball improves to 4-0 after another sweep of ranked team

Gaston College completed an impressive opening weekend with a second doubleheader sweep over a ranked opponent on Sunday at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.

The Rhinos won both by 8-0 scores in games that were shortened due to the mercy rule.

"We swung the bats well and, obviously, when you throw two shutouts it's a good day," Gaston College Mike Steuerwald said.

The No. 23-ranked Rhinos had 19 total hits, didn't commit an error and pitchers Savanna Mullins, Abigail Brewton and Courtney Grimmer combined for a four-hitter and one-hitter, respectively.

Kendall Bradshaw (4 hits, double, home run, 4 RBIs), Grace Kealy (4 hits, double, home run, 3 RBIs), McKenna Jones (3 hits, double, 1 RBI) and Katelyn Brandon (3 hits, home run, 2 RBIs) led the offense.

"We got a lot of contributions from a lot of people," Steuerwald said. "Brandon did a good job getting us going in the first game with that homer. And Kealy had another walkoff home run and it was an opposite field shot."

Kealy, who ended Friday's 11-2 nightcap win over Division III No. 1-ranked Patrick & Henry, ended Sunday's first game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

In the nightcap, Savanna Price's two-out steal of home ended the game in five innings.

On the mound, Mullins threw a four-hitter with three strikeouts on 88 pitches in the opener and Brewton yielded one hit and three walks with six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings before Grimmer got the final out. Brewton's victory was the 24th of her career, which ties Brantleigh Parrott (24 wins in 2023) for the all-time lead in program history. 

"Mullins pitched pretty well," Steuerwald said. "She got into a couple of jams but was able to work herself out of it. And Brew was as sharp as I've seen her in a long time."

Gaston College (4-0) returns to action on Thursday against 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association Division II World Series participant Bryant & Stratton, Va., in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park before visiting Caldwell Tech on Sunday for a noon doubleheader.

"Bryant & Stratton is a good, well-coached team with a lot of talent," Steuerwald said. "Then we're scheduled to go back up to Caldwell.
"Our plan is to get better every week."