Mustangs' Spear leads All-SPC baseball team

Another season. Another East Lincoln sweep.

The Mustangs claimed the top baseball awards in the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference after winning the league title, completing a perfect run through the major boys' sports this school year.

Senior pitcher/first baseman Drew Spear was voted player of the year by the league's head coaches and Chris Matile was named coach of the year after the two led East Lincoln to a 15-1 SPC record, winning the title by three games.

Spear, who plans to play at UNC Asheville next season, pitched a 7-0 record with a 1.71 ERA. He struck out 71 batters in 45 innings and walked only 15. At the plate, he was one of the team's top batters with a .403 batting average, 25 RBIs and five home runs.

"That's a great season putting it all together," Matile said. "And then his leadership this year really came through."

East Lincoln also won the SPC championships in football and basketball this school year and was rewarded with the player- and coach-of-the-year awards in each sport. Jason Perry and coach Mike Byus received the football honors, while Keith Rendleman and coach Neil Hodges accepted the basketball awards.

East Lincoln's Randy Beard, Aaron Dishman, Ethan Johnson and R.J. Colichio joined Spear on the all-conference baseball team. The Mustangs' five selections represented the most of any team on the 23-player list. Cherryville and West Lincoln, which tied for second in the conference standings, each placed four on the all-conference team. Fourth-place Bessemer City had three selections.

 

You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.

 

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT 1A/2A CONFERENCE BASEBALL AWARDS

Player of the year - Drew Spear, East Lincoln, Sr.

Coach of the year - Chris Matile, East Lincoln

All-conference team

East Lincoln - Drew Spear, Randy Beard, Aaron Dishman, Ethan Johnson, R.J. Colichio

West Lincoln - Ethan Beck, Korey Martin, Trey Drewery, Bradley Carpenter

Cherryville - Cory Parks, Bryan DaCanal, Thomas Bess, Ryan Craft

South Iredell - Colby Dishman, Justin Strider, Chris Dula

Bessemer City - Jonathan Henderson, Travis Blake, Chris Williams

North Lincoln - Johnny Walker, Brad Mosteller

Lincolnton - Tripper Crisson, Chris Melton

Note: Draughn and Highland Tech had no all-conference selections.