March 9 & 10, 2005
Baseball Fever
Page 11
an Dyke, Lineberger two of
top baseball coaches in state
By DWIGHT FRADY
Staff Writer
Two of the most successful
prep baseball coaches in the
state are right here in our own
back yard.
East Gaston's Darrell Van
Dyke, heading into his 26th
season, has amassed a won-
lost record of 334-248-2. After
serving as an assistant to Jerry
Adams for the 1978-79 season
after graduating from
Gardner-Webb, he has been
the only Warrior coach since
the 1979-80 year.
South Point's Mickey
Lineberger, a South Point and
Carson-Newman grad, is start-
ing his 22nd year as Red
Raider coach. His record is
347-190 for 21 years. The Red
Raiders have had just two
coaches, Lineberger and Phil
Tate.
Last year’s Naval Academy
recruit Mitch Harris was the
69th player who either
received a college scholarship
or were drafted to play pro
‘ball. :
Drafted by the major league
teams from South Point were
Mickey Henson, high school,
fourth round by the Texas
Rangers; Shane Laye,
Lewisburg, Oakland Athletics;
Corey Broome, UNC-
Wilmington, Detroit Tigers;
Steve Mullis, Brevard; Stephen
Cowie, Duke University,
ir A
East Gaston head baseball coach Darrell Van Dyke is flanked
by two of his senior players who have won college scholar-
ships. They are infielder Justin Moore (left) and pitcher-out-
fielder Matt Dameron.
Cleveland Indians; Devon
Lowery, high school, Kansas
City Royals, 23rd round; BJ. .
Richmond, Spartanburg
Methodist, Los Angeles
Dodgers.
Lineberger believes that cur-
rent Belmont Abbey senior lan
Gibson and N.C. State
University junior Matt Camp
will be drafted this summer.
Lineberger has coached in
“the State Games four years,
three years as an assistant and
one year as head coach. The
team won two gold medals in
four years.
He has served as West coach
in the East-West games.
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This summer Lineberger
will be the head coach for the
North-South Classic in Myrtle
Beach, S.C., being in charge of
14 North Carolina players.
They will practice at the beach
for five days and play South
Carolina in Pelican Stadium
June 11 in a nine-inning game.
Van Dyke-coached teams
have won four regular season
titles and three tournament
crowns. The Warriors have
played in four different con-
ferences over the years, the
Southwestern 3A, Tri-County
4A, MEGA 7 4A, and Big
South 3A.
Last year the Warriors set an
Mickey Lineberger is starting
his 22nd season as head
baseball coach at South
Point 3
all-time high for wins in a sin-
gle season (19), and had their
first prep All-American (catch-
er Jay McConnell).
Sixty of the Warriors under
Van Dyke’s tutelage have
played college baseball. One
of the Warrior pitchers, Scott
Stewart, is currently in the
major leagues, now with the
New York Mets.
Warriors who have signed
major league contracts are
Tracey Black, 1979, Minnesota
Twins; Wayne Kinley, 1981,
Seattle Mariners; Mike
Featherstone, 1982, Atlanta
Braves; Stewart, 1994, Texas
Rangers; Kenny Conroy, 1997,
Chicago Cubs.
Both Van Dyke and
Lineberger are devoted to the
sport of baseball and to the
youngsters in their respective
communities. Each summer
they hold baseball camps at
their school for young players.
EAST GASTON SCHEDULE
FEBRUARY
28 - Kings Mountain (End.),
4:30 ;
: MARCH
3 - North Meck, 4:30
7 - at North Meck, 4:30
8 - Providence Day, 4:30
11 - at Bessemer City, 7 p.m.
15 - South Point, 7 p.m.
17 - Fort Mill, 7 p.m.
18 - Berry, 7 p.m.
22 - at Huss, 7 p.m.
24 - Ashbrook, 7 p.m.
28-April 2 - Gaston Observer
Tourn., TBA ;
APRIL
5 - at North Gaston, 7 p.m.
8 - East Lincoln, 7 p.m.
12 - at Forestview, 7 p.m.
14 - Charlotte Christian, 7
p-m. :
15 - at South Point, 7 p.m.
19 - at Berry, 7 p.m.
22 - Huss, 7 p.m.
26 - at Ashbrook, 7 p.m.
28 - North Gaston, 7 p.m.
MAY
3 - at East Lincoln, 7 p.m.
5 - Forestview, 7 p.m.
imp
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