Crucial plays and missed opportunities downed Chatham Post 292 in its 3-0 series loss to Garner Nationals in the second round of the North Carolina American Legion Area 1 playoffs last week.
Chatham lost games one (July 8) and three (July 9) by a score of 5-4 while game two, a 4-0 loss, wasn’t decided until the seventh inning. Garner hosted games one and three at Triton High School, and Chatham hosted game two at Jordan-Matthews.
With game one tied at four runs a piece after seven innings, Garner’s Jacob Grimes ended the night with a walk-off single that sent Jake Stanley in for the winning score.
Prior to that, Chatham had two opportunities to build on its lead or take the lead in the seventh and eighth innings, but Post 292 went three up and three down in both turns at the plate.
In game two, both teams entered the seventh inning scoreless after Chatham had previously left seven runners on base. Garner put the first runs on the board with the help of three hits, a walk, an error and two errant pitches, taking a 4-0 lead before Chatham’s final chance to tie or win.
Post 292 couldn’t respond, though, as just two batters were able to get on base before the final out.
Facing elimination, game three looked as if it would be better for Chatham as it boasted a 3-0 lead thanks to Ian McMillan and Anthony Lopossay’s early success at the plate. McMillan, Lopossay and Landon Moser recorded three hits each in game three.
“(McMillan and Lopossay) didn’t miss a beat,” Chatham head coach Will Felder said. “We faced two guys who throw in college…Just to see how they played was really impressive.”
However, a third inning error by Chatham at first base, which would’ve resulted in two outs instead of another base runner, turned costly when Garner’s Anthony Jones ripped a home run to left field two-at bats later, tying the game at three runs apiece.
Garner scored twice more in the inning, and Chatham struggled for the rest of the game to knock runners in.
Post 292 ended game three with 17 runners left on base. Combined with games one and two, Chatham left 34 runners on base in the entire series.
“You’ve got situations where both teams have runners in scoring position, and there were some times where (Garner) capitalized and scored runs and there were some times where we didn’t,” Felder said. “They outnumbered us on those situations.”
Chatham ended its 2024 season with a 14-10 overall record. That’s a major improvement from 2023 in which Post 292 returned from more than a 20-year absence and went 6-17 with a first round Area 3 playoff exit.
“It’s nothing to hang your head about,” Felder said. “It’s never fun to lose, but at the same time, to look back on what we’ve done, it’s really impressive. I’m proud of each one of these guys.”
Said Felder, “I would pick two words, and it would be maturity and chemistry. The guys who were older this year and were here last year matured a lot, they understand how this game works more. It’s faster paced than the spring, and their maturity level was a lot higher. Chemistry wise, I feel like our team jelled a whole lot better this year than we did last year.”
For some of Chatham’s players, the series loss was the last time they’ll be able to play for Post 292.
Joaquin Gordon, a graduate of Chatham Central, and Kelton Fuquay, a graduate of Jordan-Matthews, will age out of American Legion play after playing the last two seasons with Chatham.
“It was just fun,” Gordon said. “Going from getting run ruled to doubling the wins, I’d say that feels great. Having to play baseball with the best in the county, maybe some ten minutes out of the county (and) having fun playing baseball with everybody, you can’t beat that.”
Gordon also found his American Legion experience fun because he got to keep playing with players he grew up with, instead of “random” players on a travel ball team.
Other players that will age out are Chancelor Terry, Stratton Barwick, Presley Patterson and Salvador Delgado.
Felder said he feels Chatham Post 292 will grow “a lot” after this season.
“I don’t know how long each of these coaches will be here, but I know that there’s young guys who are willing to step up, and hungry young coaches will be here all the time to get these guys going,” Felder said. “We’ve put a good foundation in the last two years, and I think that it’s something that can really grow and be prosperous as we move forward.”
