Former Cabarrus softball star Brantleigh Parrott leads Gaston College’s quick ascent
The Gaston College softball team has experienced a more arduous journey to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s College World Series than the school’s baseball team.
The Rhinos’ first-year baseball team finished 41-9 last season.
The softball squad went 4-16.
“They took their lumps last year,” said Gaston College athletic director (and baseball coach) Shohn Doty. “But they were getting better. And the coaches did an amazing job of recruiting.”
The softball team take a 43-8 record into Tuesday night’s College World Series opener against third-ranked Florida SouthWestern. The softball championships are being played in Oxford, Alabama.
Mike Steuerwald, like Doty a veteran of college coaching, landed several outstanding Charlotte-area players and parlayed it into a team that swept the Region 10 and East district championships.
A key recruit was Brantleigh Parrott, a pitcher-outfielder who had a spectacular 2022 season as a senior at Central Cabarrus High.
Parrott is 24-0 this season with a 0.31 earned run average. She has 295 strikeouts in 157.2 innings pitched. At the plate, she is hitting .467 with 17 doubles and a team-leading 57 RBI.
Asheton Queen, an infielder who played at South Point High and then went to Gardner-Webb before transferring to Gaston College, is hitting .363 with 20 doubles. Logan Lilly, a product of McDowell County High, is batting .327.
“What Mike and his squad has done is amazing,” Doty said.
Charlotte-area players on the Gaston College softball team:
Gracie Brown, C, A.L. Brown
Tessa Hunt, P, North Lincoln
Kinsley Johnson, IF, South Iredell
Grace Manning, OF, Weddington
Asheton Queen, IF, South Point
Brantleigh Parrott, P-OF, Central Cabarrus
Haylee Salter, IF, Central Cabarrus
Emma Smiley, OF, Hopewell
Jailyn Tines, C, Marvin Ridge
Serena Yalich, IF, Parkwood
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
