Greg Hollis | [email protected]
NEWBERRY — Chapin Newberry Post finally hosted their home opener after nearly a two week of games being canceled due to the weather. Unfortunately, the home opener didn’t go as planned. Chapin Newberry(1-4, 0-3 league play) fell 7-1 to West Columbia on Wednesday, June 18th at home.
Chapin Newberry finally returned to their home field on the campus of Newberry College at the Smith Road Complex after being delayed for several weeks. Both teams were scoreless in the first inning, but West Columbia would change that at the top of the second inning.
The visitors were able to take a 2-0 lead after getting two runs in the second inning. Chapin Newberry would attempt to answer but left a runner stranded on base at the bottom of the second inning.
Things were slow for both squads in the third inning, but West Columbia’s offense would get it going again at the plate in the top of the fourth inning. Two base runners reached base after starting pitcher Ty Harper gave up a walk and a single. A RBI double would drive one run in for a score.
Harper struggles would continue later in the inning after giving up another hit for a RBI double to score two more runs for West Columbia. They would lead 5-0 going into the bottom half of the fourth inning.
Chapin Newberry start off the bottom of the fourth inning with a strong effort after starting catcher Bryce Satterwhite hit a line drive between the first and second base for a single. Another runner would reach base on a walk, but the home team couldn’t find a way to drive those two runners in for scores.
The home team would make a pitching change at the top of the fifth inning to Coleman Fryer and it would be short lived after West Columbia found a way to keep up their good plate appearances. The visitors started off the inning with three consecutive base runners reaching base after Fryer walked two batters and gave up a single. They turned those base runners into runs after they scored sixth run on a bad throw to home plate.
West Columbia would add another run in the fifth inning before another pitching change by Chapin Newberry. Carson Glenn would come in relief efforts to minimize the damage. He closed the inning out with a strikeout and forced a batter to fly out. Chapin Newberry found themselves down 7-0 at the bottom of the fifth inning.
The home team would again leave two runners stranded on base after a good start to the bottom half of the fifth inning. Glenn strong outing on the mound would continue in the sixth inning as he struck out two batters and quickly retired the side.
Satterwhite would get a double off a hard hit ball to left field, but unfortunately no one could drive him home for a score. West Columbia threatened to add more runs at the top of seventh and final inning after Glenn found himself in a little bit of trouble.
The relief pitcher for Chapin Newberry dug himself out of the hole with a strikeout and got support from his catcher. Satterwhite threw out a runner who attempted to steal to get the final out of the inning.
The home team attempted to put together a late game run. Blake Stribble came off the bench as a designated hitter, and drove the only run with a hard ball to left field wall for a double. Unfortunately, the rally would be short lived and Chapin Newberry would fall in their home opener.
“We didn’t play all that great but we swung the bat pretty well even though it doesn’t look like by the scoreboard. This team have faced a lot of adversity already through a week and half of the season with all the rain. I do think we have a lot of talent, I really do but we just have to keep scratching and clawing to turn things around,”said Chapin Newberry head coach Ryan Stoudemire.
Chapin Newberry would get nine hits but only scored on run in this game. West Columbia scored seven runs on seven hits.
“That’s kind of been the story of our summer so far. We are putting together good bats early in the inning, but not coming through whenever we need that big hit. It’s not like we are having bad at bats, but we’ve been hitting the ball right guys. We have to just continue to trust the process and not look at results. Hopefully, at some point this thing will fall in and we can score a couple more runs,” said Stoudemire.
The two teams faced off again on Thursday, June 19 at Brookland-Cayce High School in Cayce, S.C. and West Columbia would win 3-1 to sweep the series 3-0. Chapin Newberry will return back to action on Tuesday, June 24 to face the Joanna Hornets. It will be the first of three home games which they will play on June 24, June 26 and June 27.
Reach Greg Hollis @ 803-768-3117 or on X @TheNBOnews