No. 23 Gaston College softball responds to complete DH sweep on Saturday

No. 23-ranked Gaston College's softball team endured its first adversity of the 2025 season on Saturday in its first road games of the season.

After a 13-0, 5-inning victory in the opener at Caldwell Tech, the Rhinos stayed unbeaten with an 11-10 come-from-behind win in the nightcap.

The sweep gives Gaston College an 8-0 record this season with all eight wins coming against teams ranked in the National Junior College Athletic Association preseason polls.

"In the second game, we just weren't as sharp," Rhinos coach Mike Steuerwald said. "But we responded well"

After falling behind 6-3 and getting tied at 10, Gaston College freshman Savanna Mullins was the standout with the first three hits of her college career including home run and a game-winning RBI single in the sixth inning in addition to picking up the win with four innings of relief.

Other standouts in the sweep were Grace Kealy (4 hits, double, 2 home runs, 6 RBIs), Sarah Johnson (4 hits, triple, 3 RBIs), Katelyn Brandon (4 hits, double, home run, 1 RBI), Mary Hinson (4 hits, triple, 3 RBIs) and Kendall Bradshaw (3 hits, double, 1 RBI).

In the opener, Hinson started and combined with reliever Kristyn Ezzo for the two-hit shutout.

The Rhinos after off until they play three home doubleheaders in four days at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park against teams from different parts of the countries - Thursday against Pellissippi State, Miss., at noon, Friday against Monroe, N.Y., at 3 p.m. and next Sunday against No. 5-ranked Division II team Louisburg at 1 p.m.

"We've got six games in four days next week," Steuerwald said. "So it'll be a busy week facing different teams from different spots. It's a good week for us to see where we're at."