NEWBERRY — School is out and the sun is out which could only mean one thing, and that is officially American Legion summer baseball time. Chapin Newberry Post 193/24(2-3) fell 6-4 in extra innings to West Columbia Post 79 in their home opener on Thursday, June 4.
The Smith Road Complex on the campus of Newberry College was the site of American Legion home opener for the Chapin Newberry Post 193/24 for yet another summer. Luke Milling got the start on the mound for Chapin Newberry and he ran into some trouble early in the first inning. He gave up three hits in the first inning and West Columbia was able to score on a throwing error. Despite the rough start, Milling was able to get out of the inning and the home team only trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the first inning.
Chapin Newberry quickly responded to tie the game at the bottom of the first inning. They started off with a lead off double from Raleigh Saltera and he was able to later score from third base on sacrifice pop fly. The two teams were tied 1-1 going into the second inning.
Milling early game struggles continued at the top of the second inning. He was able to get the first two outs, then West Columbia was able to get a runner on base from a walk. The visiting squad was able to reclaim the lead with a RBI single. Chapin Newberry made another throwing error that lead to another score to give West Columbia a 3-1 lead before the home team was able to get the final out.
West Columbia seem like they were going to run away with the game at the top of the third inning after extending their lead. Milling was able to easily get the first two outs in the inning, but again gave up a walk and a single to put two runners on base. The visitors were able to take advantage of having runners at the corners and was able to drive in a run with a hard hit ball to the outfield for a RBI single. West Columbia held a comfortable 4-1 lead at the bottom of the third inning.
Chapin Newberry had an offensive explosion at the plate in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game. Salters got things going with another double for his second hit of the game. Colby Livingston was able to bring him in for a score with a RBI single. Felix Flecha Ruiz was able to keep things going with a RBI single to add another run to the scoreboard for the home team.
Luciano Cesario got in on the action with a sacrifice pop fly to bring in another run that tied the game at 4-4 going into the fourth inning. Lawson Lawrence took over on the mound for Chapin Newberry and had a stellar performance in a relief effort. He was able to go for five strong innings, allowed just three hits, had five strike outs and didn’t give up any runs.
The bottom of sixth inning will be in the back on the Chapin Newberry Post club’s minds for the remainder of the season. Landen Wicker was able to hit a line drive shot over the first basemen’s head that appeared to be RBI double and bring home a run to break the tie. The West Columbia side argued that the ball got stuck under a tarp on the home side and the umpire’s overturned the call after a long discussion. The runner that scored for Chapin Newberry was made to return back to third base and Wicker was credited with only one extra base and the double.
Chapin Newberry Post left the two runner stranded on base and that ended the inning. Neither team could get anything going in the seventh inning so the game headed into extra innings.
West Columbia took advantage of the pitching change and was able to get score two runs at the top of the ninth inning for a walk-off win. The two teams split the season series with Chapin Newberry winning the first game 12-3 on Tuesday, June 2nd before the extra inning heartbreak loss.
Chapin Newberry Post 193/24 will be back in action this week with a three-game series, home-and-home, against Greenwood Post 20. They will be on the road on Monday, June 8 before returning back to Smith Road Complex for the last two games on Tuesday, June 9 and Thursday, June 11. First pitch for all three games is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.
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