No. 17 Gaston College all alone atop Region 10 after DH sweep

No. 17 Gaston College went a long way toward clinching its fourth straight Region 10 regular season championship by sweeping Florence Darlington Tech in a Thursday afternoon doubleheader at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park.

The Rhinos got impressive pitching and defense and timely hitting to win 6-1 in the opener and 4-2 in the nightcap.

The sweep improves Gaston College to 45-4 overall and 13-1 in league play. It also gives the Rhinos a measure of revenge after the visiting Stingers had ended Gaston College's 32-game league winning streak earlier this season.

Florence Darlington (21-17, 11-3) had entered Thursday's doubleheader tied atop the Region 10 standings with the Rhinos.

"They're a really good club," Gaston College coach Michael Steuerwald said of the Stingers. "They got the tying run to the plate there in the last inning so they pushed us.
"But no matter how we won, it was meaningful because it keeps us atop the league."

Katelyn Brandon (3 hits, 2 home runs, 6 RBIs), Alexa Bianchi-Rossie (3 hits, double) and Miranda Wall (3 doubles, 1 RBI) led the Rhinos' offense and Aidan Ledbetter (3-hitter, 12 strikeouts) and Sophia Crist (8-hitter, 7 strikeouts) pitching complete games.

Crist wriggled out of a third inning jam with two infield pop-ups and a fly ball and centerfielder Mary Hinson gunned down a runner at home plate in the fifth inning to lead the defense.

Additionally, the sweep gives Steuerwald and the program 200 victories in four seasons.

"Two hundred wins means a lot and is a tribute to everybody that's been a part of our program," Steuerwald said.

Gaston College closes its home schedule at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against USC Salkehatchie as the program honors 11 players on "Sophomore Day."