NEWBERRY — The Chapin Newberry American Legion baseball team finished fourth in the state out of 34 teams at the American Legion State Baseball Tournament held at Riley Park in Sumter with games beginning July 22.
On the first day Chapin Newberry lost to Inman by a 13-3 score in a game that was a back and forth affair until the bottom of the eighth when Inman scored eight runs.
The winning pitcher for Inman as Luke Johnson, pitching 3¾ innings, surrendering no runs, three hits, striking out four and no walks. The losing pitcher for Chapin Newberry was Tristan Smaltz. He pitched 6 and a third innings, surrendering five runs (three earned) and eight hits while striking out six batters. Completing the battery was Taylor Wiggins at catcher.
Leading hitter for Chapin Newberry was Wiggins with three hits while Will Kroske and Ward Hacklen had two hits each. Robert King and Hacklen both had two runs batted in (RBI).
Chapin Newberry played their second game July 23, defeating Fort Mill by a 10-9 score. Preston Farmer’s walk off single drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Trey Huber earned the win and save for Chapin Newberry, throwing the last inning, allowing one run, two hits, striking out two and walking none.
Jordan Beatson pitched innings one through seven and Jeb Fulmer pitched the eighth inning. Farmer handled the catching duties for all three pitchers.
Leading hitters for Chapin Newberry were Farmer with three, and Will Kroske, Ward Hacklen, Taylor Wiggins and Price Alexander with two each. Andrew Livingston knocked in two runs on one hit. Chapin Newberry had a grand total of 15 hits.
Chapin Newberry won the third game on July 24, with a 7-3 victory over Gaffney. Chapin Newberry scored three runs in the third, three in the sixth and one in the eighth. Gaffney was able to muster their three total runs, all in the fifth inning. Chapin Newberry collected 10 hits to six for Gaffney.
Preston Farmer earned the win for Chapin Newberry by pitching the last 4 2/3 innings, yielding four hits, giving up no runs, striking out three and walking one. John Steven Trammell was the starting pitcher, pitching the first 4 1/3 innings, yielding only two hits, and striking out three. Gaffney used three pitchers who yielded 10 hits while walking five batters. Completing the battery for Chapin Newberry was Taylor Wiggins.
Leading hitters for Chapin Newberry were Farmer with three and Robert King and Jordan Beatson with two each. Robert King hit a solo homerun.
On July 25, Chapin Newberry was eliminated from the tournament after losing 5-4 to Florence, the eventual winner and state champion. The game had over an hour delay due to an electrical storm.
Florence scored one run in the first, third and fourth innings, adding their final two runs in the sixth. Chapin Newberry scored three in the fourth and one in the sixth. Leading hitters for Florence were John Carter with three and Zay Paul with two hits.
For Chapin Newberry, leading at the plate were Trey Kinard and Price Alexander with two hits each. Chapin Newberry scored their three runs in the fourth, thanks to singles by Kinard, Robert King, and Preston Farmer.
Following the rain delay, Chapin Newberry loaded the bases in both the eighth and ninth innings, but could not get the tying run to the plate, partly due to the good defense by Florence.
Following the game, Head Coach David Coats told his team how much he had enjoyed coaching them this year and that he was proud of their accomplishment of being fourth in the state. Assistant Coaches Amp Robertson, Dell Lever, and Marion Baker solidified Coats’ remarks.
