500th time's the charm Head Baseball Coach Patrick McGaha earned his 500th career victory in March 2019. Head Baseball Coach Dr. Patrick McGaha earned his 500th collegiate career victory March 20, 2019. It was a close game, ending after 12 innings and 3 1/ 2 hours. Despite achieving this milestone, McGaha said it felt like any other game. "That game was so close and everything, I just, I really kind of forgot about it," McGaha said. "It's nice, obviously, to reach those milestones, but that's not really why you do it as a coach. It's about the relationships." Assistant Head Baseball Coach Andy Schatzley explained that the rest of the team did not realize the victory was McGaha's 500th until after the game. "It's just kind of a testament to Coach McGaha and the nature of his leadership and the humility behind his leadership," Schatzley said. "We didn't even 100% realize it had happened until we got back, and once we got back, it kind of hit everybody. He hadn't said a word about it.... That's justkind of the way he is and the kind of leader he is." While winning was a big part of the game, McGaha said it was not the reason he coached. He said he loved watching his players enjoy a hardearned victory and reap the reward for their hard work and devotion to the game. Above all, he cared about watching them grow in character and as men of God. "If they leave here having just gotten better at baseball, then we've really kind offailed them as a staff," McGaha said. "You want to help them, 224 you know, understand a relationship with the Lord, the importance of getting their degree, and doing well off the field and not just on the field." Senior infielder Luke Van Dover said it was important to both the Harding baseball staff and players that they modeled a familial and respectable culture. "We won a lot of games because of our culture, and McGaha does a good job of instilling that in us," Van Dover said. "There's just an overall theme each day of pushing ourselves beyond what we think we can do, so that's something I can take with me throughout the rest of my life.'' During the baseball team's 2019 season, its members served as sources of support and encouragement in many capacities. "It's a really special place to work, but it's special because ofthe people, and [McGaha] really makes it a special place," Schatzley said, when further describing the impactful manner of McGaha's coaching and leadership. Schatzley explained that the combination of desperatelyneeding a win, the closeness of the game, and it being such a milestone for McGaha all tied together to make this particular victory extremely special.Following the game, the Bisons continued their season and secured more wins and made it their goal to sustain an encouraging and Christ-centered culture to finish out the season. story by Madison Scott
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