West Chatham All-Stars win state title

Jul. 20—The great thing about baseball or softball is that no matter how bad you lose, it's still just one game. The West Chatham 15U All-Stars were on the verge of a state championship last week when they were mercy-ruled by a strong Duplin County team, setting up a winner-take all final the next day for the North Carolina Dixie Softball state championship on Wednesday, July 12 in Southport.

West Chatham shook off the loss, their only one of the season, and blanked Duplin 3-0 that afternoon to earn a bid to the Dixie Softball World Series in Alexandra, La. starting July 28.

The West Chatham 15U team is not a select travel team, but instead is a traditional all-star team made up of players from the Goldston and Bonlee parks and recreation league teams. The players come from both Chatham and Lee counties and consider themselves to represent both communities.

West Chatham played two games with the Cary All-Stars on July 2 before moving on to the state championship, beating them 17-2 and 4-3 that day. The state tournament was in Southport and started Wednesday, July 8.

The team's first game was one of the toughest, as West Chatham held on to defeat Lumberton 7-6.

West Chatham 15u team scored in the first inning when Heidi Vicente crossed the plate due to an error by the third baseman. By the top of the fourth inning, Lumberton remained scoreless as West Chatham starting pitcher Maddie Kaczmarczyk struck out eight batters. In the bottom of the fourth inning Emma Grace Hill doubled on a line drive to left field, followed by a hard single by Alyssa Harris to first baseman bringing in two runs, putting West Chatham up 3-0 going into the fifth inning. Lumberton made things interesting in the top of the fifth inning with three runs. In the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs, West Chatham scored four more runs to extend their lead to 7-3 as Kinley Jordan, Aryana Teague and Kaczmarczyk crossed the plate from a single by Madalyn Holton and Hill, as well as a double by Kaczmarczyk. Lumberton attempted a comeback in the sixth inning with three singles that all led to runs, but West Chatham held on.

On Sunday, West Chatham 15U batters came out strong against South Columbus to end the game early in the fifth inning, winning 17-1. Hill was the starting pitcher for West Chatham, and struck out nine batters in four innings. In the bottom of the first inning, West Chatham scored three runs with a single by catcher Abigail Johnson, followed by a single by Hill and a triple by Kaczmarczyk. Holton hit a home run to center field sending West Chatham up 4-0 going into the third inning. An 11-run third inning broke the game wide open. Hill started the inning with a triple, followed by a double by Kaylynn Long, a single by Jasmine Sorto, a single by Adison Gardner, a single by Jordan, a double by Johnson and finally a Hill single. South Columbus scored on a double at the top of the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth inning, West Chatham scored two more runs off two singles by Long and Jordan.

Monday brought another big win, but the 12-2 win over West Stanly was not as easy as the score suggests. It was a nail biter until the fifth inning. West Stanly and West Chatham both scored two runs in the first inning, then remained tied until the bottom of the fifth. Kaczmarczyk stepped in the pitching circle for West Chatham striking out three batters and inducing West Stanly to hit pop-ups and ground balls fielded by her defensive teammates. Fielding plays by Teague, Sorto, Jordan, Hill, Kaczmarczyk herself, Vicente, Lilly Allen, and Johnson helped hold West Stanly to two runs for the remainder of the game.

West Chatham came out of the dugout in the fifth inning ready to bat. The bottom of the fifth started with singles by Long, Gardner, and Teague to help score four runs. Hill and Harris both doubled to center field, and when the huge inning was done, Kaczmarczyk scored on a steal of home to end the game with West Chatham winning 12-2 against West Stanly.

Going into Tuesday, West Chatham 15U would be faced with two opponents. The first game was against Pembroke and West Chatham was well prepared. West Chatham got on the board in the top of the first inning after Kaczmarczyk singled, Allen walked, and Pembroke committed an error, each scoring one run. West Chatham 15u added to their early lead in the top of the third inning after Harris doubled, Allen and then Long walked, and Sorto hit a sacrifice fly, each producing one run. Kaczmarczyk earned the win striking out three in the first two innings. Hill came in and pitched three innings with five strikeouts. West Chatham 15U piled up eight hits in the game. Harris led West Chatham with two hits in three at bats. West Chatham's patience at the plate piled up six walks.

West Chatham was 4-0 in the tournament and the state championship was in reach that evening when the team faced Duplin County, which had opened the event with a 7-5 loss to West Stanly but then checked off Lumberton and Burgaw in its next two games. West Chatham was depleted from its earlier win against Pembroke, while Duplin was playing for the first time that day.West had just four hits and committed six errors in a game that was all but over after two innings, when Duplin led 6-0. It was called after five as an 11-0 Duplin win.

However, the tables turned the next day. Duplin still had to win a game against South Columbus Wednesday morning earn a spot in the finals. They won 13-3, but West Chatham had the morning off and was more than happy to get a rematch with Duplin that afternoon.

Kazmarcyzyk got the call on the mound to start things off, and recorded nine outs, allowing just one hit while striking out five. Then Hill took over and pitched four hitless innings with six strikeouts. West Chatham only needed one run for the revenge win and the state championship.

They got it in the fifth inning. After Hill drew a leadoff walk and moved up on a wild pitch, Harris singled to make it 1-0. With two out, Duplin County's right fielder misplayed a ball hit by Long, allowing Harris to score as well.

In the next inning, Johnson hit a ground ball that allowed Holton to score from third. She had moved up on a Vicente single earlier in the inning. The game ended as a 3-0 combined one-hit shutout.

The team was managed by Todd Hill with coaches Billy Jordan and Kyle Gardner.

The team is seeking donations to help them make the trip to the World Series, which will require a 1,800-mile round trip and expenses for the players and their families for a week. Visit https://gofund.me/004a62ad for more information.

Additional fundraisers are being held on the following dates:

Friday, July 21 at Al's Diner in Pittsboro from 2-8 p.m. A portion of sales will be donated to the team.

Saturday, July 22 in downtown Goldston from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a bake sale with all proceeds to the team.