By Thomas Grant Jr.
From a memory and result standpoint, the past week was like 2015 again for Chapin/Newberry Post 193/24.
Just before this past Friday’s 10th anniversary celebration of winning the American Legion World Series title, Chapin/Newberry got back on the winning track. It pulled off three straight 1-run victories at Newberry College in five days.
The streak began on June 24 with an 8-7 win over the Joanna Hornets in a non-league 3 contest. Chapin-Newberry’s Caden Reeves hit a 2-run double to cap a 4-run rally in the Bottom 4th to give it a 5-1 lead.
Joanna responded with four runs in the top of 5th to tie the game. Bryce Satterwhite scored on a wild pitch in the Bottom 5th to put Chapin/Newberry ahead, only for the Hornets to reclaim the lead with a 2-run rally.
A sacrifice fly by Bobby Gunmore tied the game at 7-7 in the Bottom 6th. In the Bottom 7th, Colby Livingston hit a leadoff double and scored the game-winning run on Maddox Floyd’s walk off RBI single.
A couple of nights later, similar heroics enabled Chapin/Newberry to defeat Greenwood Post 52. With pinch runner Satterwhite on third base with two outs, Ty Harper singled him home for the 5-4 victory.
Before Friday’s game, players and coaches from the 2015 championship team were honored for their achievement. Chapin/Newberry head coach Ryan Stoudenmire was a member of that 36-1 team.
“I really don’t think we realized we were a special group until after it was over,” he told Newberry mayor Foster Senn in a letter that appeared in the Newberry Observer. “That’s what made this team so good. We didn’t care about the personal accolades or statistics. We were just a really close group of friends that wanted to have fun and were willing to do anything we could to help the team win. And we kept winning and having fun until they wouldn’t let us play anymore.”
Chapin/Newberry capped the celebratory evening with a 3-2 victory over Joanna. This time, the game was decided before the final inning as Livingston stole home plate as part of a double steal for the go-ahead run.
Tyler Graham closed out the game in relief in the seventh inning for the save. Carson Glenn had relieved starter Tyler Stephenson and struck out two in three shutout, hitless innings for the victory.
On Monday, Chapin/Newberry saw its streak ended with an 11-0 loss at Lexington Post 7. It remained winless in League 3 play entering Tuesday’s game at Lexington High School.
AMERICAN LEGION SCHEDULE
(Chapin/Newberry Post 193/24)
MONDAY – at Winnsboro Post 16
WEDNESDAY – WINNSBORO POST 16
Photos by Gregory Hollis – Members of the 2015 American Legion World Series team from Chapin/Newberry Post 193/24.
