McHenry, MD – After earning his 500th victory as a college baseball coach, Eric Hallenbeck chalked up the achievement to time and teamwork.
"When you're at some place a long time, this happens – but it doesn't happen alone," Hallenbeck said after Garrett College's 5-2 victory over Hagerstown Community College Saturday gained him his 500th win. "Past and present players, everyone who has served on my coaching staff – they've all had a role in this. We did it the Garrett Way – with a team effort."
Hallenbeck, whose squad dropped a 6-4 decision to Hagerstown in Saturday's nightcap, said his phone blew up after his achievement was released via the College's social media accounts.
"After the games on Saturday, I looked at my phone and had over 110 text messages from former players congratulating me," said Hallenbeck, who is in his 22nd season as the Lakers' head coach. "That made me think back to all of the players who've played for me, the experiences, the wins, the players that you influenced, and the ones I'm coaching now."
Chesapeake College head coach Frank Szymanski, who has been competing against Hallenbeck for the Laker coach's entire tenure at GC, lauded Hallenbeck's accomplishment.
"I've seen firsthand the love and heart Coach Hallenbeck puts into this game," said Szymanski. "He prepares his players to win, but more importantly, he prepares them for life. Getting 500 wins is just an amazing reflection of that dedication, and a well-deserved milestone for a true leader and friend."
Hallenbeck – who is also GC's co-director of athletics with Elizabeth Show – came to GC after nine years as an assistant coach with Frostburg State University. He said he saw the position as "an opportunity to be a head coach and build my own program."
Hallenbeck said his first victory over WVU Potomac State College in 2007 was an important milestone, but an incredible playoff comeback against Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville in 2015 would be hard to top.
"The best game was probably when we hosted the regional play-in game against Catonsville," Hallenbeck recalled. "We were down 4-1 in the bottom of the ninth, two out, nobody on, and we'd had one hit all game long. We ended up tying the game and then winning it in walk-off fashion in the 10th."
By the 10th inning of that game, Hallenbeck said he was totally out of available catchers.
"I saw Chris Nakashima, our big first baseman, and I said, 'Chris, you caught in Little League – get the gear on,' " recalled Hallenbeck. "He looked like he'd been catching all year. Then Dontae Eubanks hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th to finish the comeback."
Two other playoff stunners also came to Hallenbeck's mind – GC's 2018 upset of top-seeded Frederick Community College and the Lakers' 2019 win over third-seeded Chesapeake College.
Even more personally memorable for Hallenbeck was the first game of the 2022 season when his son, Zach, began his Laker playing career.
"He came up to bat and we both looked at each other thinking, 'This is what we've been waiting for,' " said Hallenbeck.
Hallenbeck – whose Lakers are now 20-10 this year and 56-29 since the start of the 2025 campaign – still loves what he's doing.
"I'm where God wants me to be," he said.
PHOTO CUTLINE
Photo by John Rudd
Eric Hallenbeck claimed his 500th victory as Garrett College's head baseball coach with last Saturday's 5-2 win over Hagerstown Community College. Pictured, left to right, are Garrett College co-Athletics Director Elizabeth Show, Hallenbeck, and his wife, Kelli Hallenbeck.
