By Ann Threatt

For The Newberry Observer

The Chapin-Newberry American Legion baseball team is on its way to the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C., after punching their tickets with five back-to-back wins in the Southeastern Regional Championship. Team members are, first row, Josh Haney, Landon Allison, Delshun Young, Duncan Crotwell, Tristan Smaltz, Zac Brim (bat boy), Zack Ziesing, Peyton Spangler, Danton Hyman and Blake Smith. Second row are Justin Hawkins, Ryne Huggins, Kevis Burton, Andrew Livingston, Corey Stone, Trey Huber, Ryan Stoudemire and Patrick Yoder.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_DSC_0244.jpgThe Chapin-Newberry American Legion baseball team is on its way to the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C., after punching their tickets with five back-to-back wins in the Southeastern Regional Championship. Team members are, first row, Josh Haney, Landon Allison, Delshun Young, Duncan Crotwell, Tristan Smaltz, Zac Brim (bat boy), Zack Ziesing, Peyton Spangler, Danton Hyman and Blake Smith. Second row are Justin Hawkins, Ryne Huggins, Kevis Burton, Andrew Livingston, Corey Stone, Trey Huber, Ryan Stoudemire and Patrick Yoder. Courtesy photo

ASHEBORO, N.C. — The Chapin-Newberry American Legion baseball team traveled to Asheboro with a perfect season record of 24-0 and hopes of winning the Southeastern Regional Championship.

Their drive carried them through to the end, as they notched five back-to-back wins to be crowned regional champs and punch their ticket to the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C.

The Southeastern Regional Champions (SC-C/N), one of eight teams competing for the American Legion World Series title, opens Friday against Midland, Mich., the national runner up in 2014. The final eight teams are from South Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, Connecticut, Louisiana, Nebraska and Hawaii.

Four teams — New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan and Hawaii — are returning from last year. Only one South Carolina team has ever won the American Legion World Series and that was Spartanburg in 1936.

In the regional championship, state champions from Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Alabama and South Carolina and the host team from Randolph County in North Carolina competed for the regional championship.

On Aug. 5, Chapin-Newberry won its opener against Tallahassee, Fla., by a score of 4-3 and moved into the winners bracket of the tournament. Pitchers were Ryne Huggins (8 innings pitched) and Patrick Yoder (one inning pitched). Leading hitters were Danton Hyman 2-4 and Landon Allison 2-4.

On Aug. 6, Chapin-Newberry defeated Rowan County, the state champion from North Carolina, 6-5 in another one-run win that wasn’t decided until the ninth inning. Hyman was on the bump for Chapin-Newberry and pitched five shutout innings.

He was relieved in the sixth by Josh Haney and Tristan Smaltz. Ryan Stoudemire closed out the ninth. Hyman hit a solo homerun in the top of the seventh. Justin Hawkins hit a pair of two-run homers (fourth and sixth inning) and a tie-breaking RBI double in the top of the ninth to win the game.

On Aug. 7, Chapin-Newberry defeated host Randolph County 3-2. Stoudemire pitched a complete game that kept Chapin-Newberry undefeated and guaranteed them a spot in the championship game. Chapin-Newberry was led at the plate by Hawkins (2-4). Hyman shut down Randolph County in the sixth when he threw out the tying run at the plate from centerfield for a double play.

On Aug. 8, Chapin-Newberry defeated Tallahassee, Fla., 6-3. Kevis Burton was the winning pitcher. He pitched six innings and was relieved by Peyton Spangler. Burton led the team in batting with a 3-5 day and a homerun. The win placed the team in the championship game with the host team Randolph County.

On Aug. 9, Chapin-Newberry took the field at McCrary Park determined they would take home the winning trophy. South Carolina (C/N) had a 4-1 lead before Randolph County tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. The top of the sixth, Peyton Spangler singled, Hawkins was walked intentionally and Blake Smith walked to load the bases.

Landon Allison, who hit a two-run homer earlier, hit a two-run single to give South Carolina a 6-4 lead. One run was added in the eighth on a RBI single by Stoudemire. Leading hitters were Allison 3-5, Andrew Livingston 3-5 and Burton 2-3.

Corey Stone pitched four innings and was relieved by Trey Huber, Tristan Smaltz and Patrick Yoder. South Carolina (Chapin-Newberry) won 7-4.

South Carolina (Chapin-Newberry) now has an undefeated record of 28-0.

South Carolina centerfielder Hyman was named the MVP of the regional tournament. He led the team with six runs scored and played a solid outfield.