GEORGETOWN — The death of longtime baseball coach Mike Johnson Sr. , according to those who knew him best, was Georgetown's loss and heaven's gain.

"God's lineup just got stronger; Mike Johnson's batting cleanup," said longtime friend Ben Waddle. "But we're sure going to miss him down here."

Johnson Sr., who coached for three high schools in the community over the course of 43 years, died Thursday afternoon near his Georgetown-area home after falling into a creek. Georgetown County Coroner Chase Ridgeway confirmed the death as a drowning.

The loss of the man enshrined by two of the state's high school coaching halls of fame shocked the city that had named its stadium after him . But his proudest namesake was his son, Mike Johnson Jr. , along with daughter Meagan, wife Lisa and the

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