DURHAM — After a rough start to the 2024 season, Chatham Post 292 has finally found its groove.
In a double header against area foe Durham Post 416 Thursday, Post 292 won its third and fourth games in a row, beating Durham, 11-2, in game one and, 2-0, in game two. The two wins gave Post 292 its sixth and seventh wins of the season and a winning record for the first time since beating Randolph County in the season opener.
After a scoreless first inning in game one, in which both teams left two runners on base, Chatham went ahead and put the game away in the top of the second inning.
Seven hits, five walks and multiple defensive mistakes by Durham allowed Chatham to score all 11 of its runs in the inning, and the three outs didn’t come until Post 292’s final three at-bats.
“We might’ve had (Durham) just a little bit outmanned in that game,” Post 292 head coach John Headen said. “They have a young bunch.”
Chatham’s Chancelor Terry came away with two hits in the explosive inning as a bunt in his first at-bat led to the error allowing Ian McMillan to score Post 292’s first run, and his single later in the inning brought Joaquin Gordon home for the ninth run.
With the help of two errors from Chatham and two straight singles, Durham finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning after bringing two baserunners home. The first game ended after that inning.
Thanks to a solid pitching performance from Chatham’s Salvador Delgado, Durham only managed three hits in game one, and Delgado also struck out six batters.
Game two saw much less action with both teams combining for just six hits. After Chatham’s Janden Evans singled to start the bottom of the first inning, Zane Overman knocked him in with a single of his own to give Post 292 a 1-0 lead.
Post 292 didn’t bring in another run until the second inning in which Eduardo Gutierrez’s sac fly brought Anders Johansson home after he was hit by a pitch just two at-bats prior.
Chatham’s pitching tandem between Anthony Lopossay and Brandon Rives helped shutout Durham as they allowed just one hit each. The game ended after the top of the fifth inning.
Following the double header victories, Post 292 picked up its fifth straight win after beating Davidson County Post 8 Friday, 9-6.
As of Sunday, Chatham is 8-6 on the year with a 3-2 record in area play.
Headen said the team’s heightened maturity and familiarity with their roles has helped Chatham to its recent success over the last two weeks. The team is a mix of players from Chatham County high schools and schools in surrounding areas which contributed to Post 292 needing some time to put it all together earlier in the season.
“It’s good to see our guys starting to jell a little bit,” Headen said. “These coaches and these players are starting to figure out that it’s more of a season than just one game…It takes different people every day.”
