No. 18 Gaston College splits Region 10 road doubleheader

No. 18 Gaston College's softball team ran its winning streak to 21 games on Saturday afternoon in the opener of a big Region 10 road doubleheader at Florence Darlington Tech before dropping the nightcap.

The Rhinos (37-4, 7-1) won 5-4 in the opener then couldn't hold a late lead in a 9-7 loss in the nightcap.

"We're not happy, especially since we led 6-2 in Game Two and had their pitcher on the ropes," Gaston College Michael Steuerwald said. "We just didn't do enough to win.
"We let them chip away and chip away. It's disappointing because we had a chance to take a two-game lead on them in conference. It looks we're going to be in a dogfight to win the conference this year."

McKenna Jones (4 hits, 2 home runs, 2 RBIs), Adah Bruining (3 hits, double, 1 RBI), Mary Hinson (2 hits, 1 RBI) and Emery Skinner (2 hits) led the Rhinos' offense on Saturday.

And reliever Sophia Crist (2 1/3 innings, 3 strikeouts) picked up the victory in the opener that extended the winning streak to 21 games, which is second-longest in school history behind a 29-game win streak last season.

Gaston College returns to action for a 1 p.m. Sunday doubleheader at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park against USC Salkehatchie.

"The faster we can get out on the field the better," Steuerwald said. "I want us to get the winning taste back in our mouths again."