NEWBERRY — Game one of the South Carolina-North Carolina Challenge got underway Friday at Newberry College’s Smith Road Complex with Greenwood hosting Hendersonville.
After six innings of play, Greenwood Post 20 had a 4-2 lead over Hendersonville. Hendersonville came back in the top of the seventh scoring three runs and taking the win 5-4 over Greenwood.
In Game two on June 19, Chapin-Newberry hosted Hendersonville in the nightcap. Lefty Ryan Huggins took the mound for Chapin-Newberry and pitched a complete game. Huggins was “game on” striking out 11 of the 24 batters he faced. He gave up only four hits and one run on one error and issued no walks.
After the second inning, Huggins retired the side three up and three down the next four innings. In the fourth inning Hendersonville got a single up the middle, but the runner was dismissed with a well executed 1-3 pickoff.
Hendersonville’s only score came in the second inning.
Chapin-Newberry scored one run in the bottom of the second. Landon Allison led off with a double and moved to third on the throw from left field. He scored on Blake Smith’s ground out. Another run was added the bottom of the third. Danton Hyman singled and stole second base. Justin Hawkins singled scoring Hyman and Chapin-Newberry leading the score 2-1 over Hendersonville.
The bottom of the fourth Chapin-Newberry scored another run. Smith and Kevis Burton walked and Andrew Livingston hit a long fly ball to the left-center field fence scoring Smith. Two more runs were added in the fifth. Allison and Smith walked and scored on Burton’s single to right field.
Four runs were added the bottom of the sixth. Corey Stone walked, Hyman singled and Peyton Spangler walked loading the bases. Hawkins hit a towering grand slam homerun over the left-center field fence scoring the last four runs of the game. The final score left Chapin-Newberry on top 9-1.
Saturday
On Saturday the SC/NC Challenge got underway with Greenwood losing to Shelby 2-1. In the second game of the day Greenwood defeated Hickory by a score of 7-6 . In the third game, Florence took the win over Hendersonville with a score of 9-1.
Chapin-Newberry won the night cap game with a score of 7-0 over Shelby with lefty, Hyman, on the bump. Hyman pitched a complete game shut-out. He faced 26 batters, struck out nine, issued three walks and one hit by a pitch. He gave up six hits; but, picked off two of the six hitters on first base. Not only did Hyman lead the charge defensively, he was “leader of the pack” offensively with a three for three night at the plate scoring two runs and plating two RBIs.
Chapin-Newberry scored one run in the first inning. Hyman singled, stole second and moved to third on the throw. Justin Hawkins grounded out to third scoring Hyman. Chapin-Newberry plated two more runs in the third. Andrew Livingston singled, Zack Ziesing walked and Hyman singled loading the bases for Peyton Spangler who singled and scored Livingston and Ziesing.
Four more Chapin-Newberry runners crossed the dish in the fourth. Landon Allison walked, Kevis Burton singled and Livingston walked. Hyman singled scoring Allison and Burton. Hyman moved to second on the throw and to third on a pass ball and crossed the dish on a Spangler single.
South Carolina lead the challenge Saturday with four wins to North Carolina’s two. Three additional games were played Sunday, but no scores were available at press time.
Chapin-Newberry captured first place in League 8 last week and have three games this week to wrap up the regular season. Games are as follows:
Newberry, Mid Carolina, Dutch Fork, Clinton and Chapin communities once again showed great support for their American Legion Team. American Legion hosted a successful tournament with great daily attendance.