As a child growing up in Washington County, Greg Eversole had the dream of playing professional baseball.
Eversole began playing Little League in 1958, winning a state title in 1962 while playing at the West End Little League team. He also played for Hagerstown Colt League All-Stars. He participated in the Colt League World Series in 1966 and received a top hitters award.
When he eventually learned he did not have the body build of a professional baseball player, the next step was obvious: continuing his passion for being around baseball was to coach the game.
Eversole eventually became one of the most successful high school baseball coaches in the state at St. Maria Goretti Regional Catholic High School, which is closing at the end of this year. He was enshrined in the Maryland State Athletic Association Hall of Fame in January.
“My approach matured over the years, learning quickly there was more to being a good coach than just teaching the game of baseball,” he said. “I do not describe myself as a coach but as a teacher. I have been blessed throughout my coaching years as the best teacher ever.”
He played scholastically at North Hagerstown High (1964-67), Hagerstown Community College (1968-69), and Frostburg State (1970-71).
Eversole began coaching in 1977 at St. Maria Goretti, where he guided the Gaels for six years and won a Blue Ridge league title in 1978. He spent three years as an assistant coach under Chuck Zonis at North Hagerstown and helped lead the Hubs to a state runner-up finish in 1984 and the state title in 1986.
“Life lessons can be found in many aspects of the game of baseball,” Eversole said. “Many think you either win a game or lose a game. My philosophy matured to one of you either win or learn from playing a baseball game. Losing provides many of those harder life lessons.”
Eversole then coached at South Hagerstown for more than a decade, leading the Rebels to a regional final loss in 1994, a state 2A defeat in the final game of 1995, and a state 2A title in 1996. While at South he also won the MVAL championship in 1995 and 1996. In 1996 he was the MSABC State Coach of the Year.
Eversole took a 12-year break from coaching but returned to St. Maria Goretti in 2014. The Gaels won a Blue Ridge League baseball championship in 1978 followed by Old Line League titles in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Gaels have recorded a 58-8 over the last three seasons.
He was inducted into the Hagerstown Community College in 1998 and the Washington County Sports HOF in 2022.
He was recognized as Frostburg State University Alum Coach of the Year in 1996.
Throughout his coaching career, Eversole has maintained a Christian approach to the game.
The values he preaches to the players are: God first; family second; school third; and, baseball fourth.
“Our work ethic follows the saying of St Jerome, ‘Good, better, best, never let it rest until the good is better and the better is best,” he said. “Also embedded in my coaching approach, was providing a program offering an experience like a small college. Most high school players do not go on to participate in a college baseball program. A select few earn that honor. My approach was to offer the best baseball skill instruction, a polished facility, uniforms players would be proud of wearing, a schedule that challenged their abilities, and an experience that would last a lifetime.”
The players learned much about baseball and life under Eversole.
Jacob Hill, who now plays at Hagerstown Community College, prepped at St. Maria Goretti under Eversole. Every drill, every practice and every game was a teaching moment that Eversole used to push all of his players to go from good to better and to be the best we could be.
“Not only did he push us on the field to be the best we could be, but also in the classroom and in life,” Hill said. “Coach Eversole was an amazing coach and mentor and helped make me the best possible version of myself.
Behind the scenes, Everole spent countless hours ensuring the baseball diamond was in the perfect shape, down to making sure the mound was exactly 10 inches higher than home plate. He pours his valuable time into making sure that the players were the best possible, the field was the best possible, our fundraising was the best possible, our spring break trip was the best possible, making sure our competitors were the best possible, making sure the camps being offered were the best possible.
“Everything he did was done with excellence. Going above and beyond in everything he did is what made him so special,” Hill said. “In addition, we always knew that Coach E cared about us. He made our baseball team at Goretti a family. We respected each other, we encouraged each other, supported and cheered for each other. This came from Coach. He built the Goretti baseball family, which our players will always be a part of, long after the last game is played.”
Eversole is a born-again Christian who attends Otterbein Church in Waynesboro, Pa.
He has been married for 53 years to a wife who supports his dedicated time to coaching. Eversole also has two daughters, Julie, whose son is a senior on the Goretti 2024 baseball team, and Sommer, who died in 2020 at age 42.
“Team prayer is an integral part of our pre-game routine,” Eversole said. “We pray at practice daily. We recognize family needs and ask for God’s intervention through healing and his grace of peace and understanding. Players are encouraged to pray. Through my example, I hope players see my Christian values in action.
“God has blessed me with a successful life that overlaps forty years of teaching middle school math and coaching high school baseball. To him, I give many thanks and glory.”
With St. Maria Goretti closing at the end of the year, Eversole’s approach will be inevitably different. There are seven seniors on the team and each of them has been accepted into a college of their choice. Six of them are playing collegiately. The seventh could play but has accepted his favorite school over continuing to play.
Two juniors and two sophomores are attending a small high school in Washington County that offers a similar academic, school atmosphere and great baseball program to that of St. Maria Goretti. Another sophomore has been accepted at our Tech High School. He wants to get into auto mechanic repair work and is excited to be accepted for that position.
Two other sophomores and four freshmen will continue their academic and baseball careers at St John’s Catholic Prep in Buckeystown. Eversole is friends with the baseball coach there. That coach is excited to have Goretti’s transfer players knowing they will make his program stronger.
“None of our baseball players withdrew at the announcement of the closing,” he said. “Many baseball parents asked where can I take my son and get what is offered at Goretti.”
The program is fielding two varsity teams this year. Eversole will take both teams on a spring trip to play baseball for a week at The South Atlantic Bank Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The older team will venture to a weekend Invitational Tournament in Morgantown, W. Va. The team will have the opportunity to play on the Mountaineer’s college field.
The last game ever for Goretti will be played on the new professional field being constructed for the Hagerstown Boxcars.
“Baseball is a game. We are not looking at this season as the last season. We are looking at it as the best season ever,” Eversole said. “Many memories will be made. Many hugs will be shared. Many tears will be shed. In the end, we will still say: ‘It is a great day to be a Gael!’”
