With the help of a two-run sixth inning and late-game pitching heroics from Ella Majchrzak, the Chapin Eagles were able to beat the Ashley Ridge Swamp Foxes 5-4 to win the district and advance to Lower State.

It was a game full of heroics and poise by the 20-5, second-place team from Region IV-5A. This postseason run has been years in the making, as this senior class was the first group of eighth graders that head coach Cal Sayger inherited when he first accepted the head coaching job at Chapin. 

“Jumping to 5A has been a big jump for us,” Sayger recalls after the game. “It’s taken a lot. We’ve taken our lumps the first three years I took over and now this group has just really come together. It’s unbelievable. It’s the best group I’ve ever been around to coach and it started with this senior class. When I took over, they were seventh and eighth graders and they took it upon themselves to become leaders and they found a way.” 

“Finding a way” was not only how Sayger described the spirit of his team, but became the noticeable theme of the afternoon as lead changes and shifts in momentum took over the final few innings.

Chapin wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Majchrzak’s line drive single to left scored Sophia Tas and gave them an early 1-0 lead after one. 

The second inning was similar to the first: a clean top half of the frame by Chapin and one run added in the bottom of it. The Eagles run came by way of a bases loaded walk from Maddie McMillion to score Aspen Mayers. Ashley Ridge managed to get out of the inning with the bases loaded and surrendered only that single run.

The zero on Ashley Ridge’s side of the scoreboard didn’t stay much longer. In the top of the fourth, a flyball RBI triple to right scored two Swamp Fox runners and tied the game at two. 

After a scoreless bottom of the fourth, the Swamp Foxes came back in the top of the fifth and hit another triple, this time with no runners on and only one out. The ensuing batter reached base on an infield error and scored the runner at third to give Ashley Ridge their first lead of the game 3-2.

The Eagles now trailed for the first time all game and needed their bats to come alive to erase the deficit, and they did. McMillion led off the inning with a flyball triple to left and two batters later, was brought across home plate by way of an Eason Davis sacrifice fly to right. Chapin came into the bottom of the fifth trailing and left it tied at three going into the final two frames.

Ashley Ridge threatened to regain the lead early in the top of the sixth inning after getting their first two batters on base on back to back hard hit singles. The runners advanced to second and third after a sacrifice bunt. Consecutive pop outs to first and third base kept the Swamp Foxes off the scoreboard and allowed Chapin to enter the bottom of the sixth inning with a tie game and an opportunity to regain control late in the game.

Mayers started things off with a hard hit single to center. Following a well hit flyout by Alyssa Brulport, Savannah Stockwell hit a bloop single to shallow right to move Mayers to second. Taylor Palfrey’s ground out to short was hit well enough for Ashley Ridge to only get one out on the play and move Mayers and Stockwell to second and third. 

With two outs and runners in scoring position, Leah Cabe hit a deep flyball double that went off the tip of the glove of the Ashley Ridge center fielder, scoring both Mayers and Stockwell and giving Chapin a 5-3 lead going into the top of the seventh.

Coach Sayger credits the poise and ability to come up big in the sixth inning to the team’s continued growth over the last four years.

“Well they’re resilient,” Sayger said. “We started from really nothing and these girls have built our program from the ground up so they’ve had chances to come up in big games and it’s been a building process for years.”

The job still wasn’t done, however. Chapin still needed three more outs in the top of the seventh to win the district and advance to Lower State. Ashley Ridge would ensure that those three outs would not come easy.

An infield single led off the inning but a pop out to Reagan Haggard at third base and a flyout to Palfrey in center left the Swamp Foxes down to their last out with only a runner on first and needing two runs.

Ashley Ridge managed to hit a ground ball double to put runners on second and third. A line drive single to left field scored the runner at third and cut the lead down to 5-4 with runners on the corners and two outs.

With the game on the line, Majchrzak struck out the next batter in a pressure packed at-bat to seal the win for Chapin and move them on to Lower State.

“She’s a huge competitor. She’s been like that all year. A 13-1 record in the circle and an ERA below two. We announced today that she made All-State, which is huge. But she’s a competitor from the smallest things. Even prepping the field after a game, she’s gonna do it better than everybody else,” Sayger said as he pointed to her raking dirt in the infield after the win. 

The emotional, thrilling win now sets Chapin up to play the winner of the St. James/Wando match-up being played May 11. The other two teams in the Lower State bracket are Berkeley and Summerville. 

Regardless of the result Friday, Chapin will host the second game against either the winner or loser of Berkeley and Summerville. 

Other Lexington County Playoff Action

5A

Lexington

The Lexington Wildcats run-ruled Blythewood 15-0 in only three innings to advance to Upper State and win their district. It was the second time in less than a week they run-ruled Blythewood and beat them by a combined score of 26-1 over the course of two games.

Karley Shelton got the win in the pitching circle, pitching all three innings and striking out four batters while also hitting an RBI double at the plate.

Sam Craig and Madison Carwell collected two hits and an RBI each, Kiley Shelton and Maya Drennon recorded a hit while Maggie Hinz Addison Hoffner both batted in two runners. 

Lexington will now head to Upper State and play at Dorman on May 12. The other teams in the Upper State bracket are James F. Byrnes and Clover. 

Dutch Fork

The Dutch Fork Silver Foxes saw their season come to an end after a hard fought 4-2 loss to Dorman in the district final. 

The two runs scored against Dorman were the first surrendered by them all postseason and posed a tough challenge for them despite beating Dutch Fork 9-0 in their first meeting. 

“We might’ve fallen short tonight, but I am extremely hopeful and excited for our program’s future,” head coach Hayley Elkins said after the game. “With the majority of my starters being freshmen and sophomores, I can’t wait to see what a little experience and growth will do for us.”

3A

Gilbert

The Gilbert Indians saw their season come to a close after a tough 3-1 loss to Loris in their district final.

Gilbert’s season ends with a 15-9 record and a Region V-3A championship.

Swansea

Like Gilbert, the Swansea Tigers were also eliminated from the postseason Wednesday night with a 6-4 loss to Aynor.

The loss on May 11 was much closer than the first meeting with Aynor back on May 5 when they lost 11-4.

Coach Ebony Butler’s squad concludes the 2023 season with a final record of 13-8 and a second place finish in Region V-3A.

2A

Gray Collegiate Academy

The Gray Collegiate Academy War Eagles became the third Lexington County team to win their district and advance to the 2A Upper State bracket following a dominant 13-1 win over Abbeville.

Maddox Long had a phenomenal day at the plate, going 3-4 with four RBI and a home run. 

Taylor Corley pitched all five innings and struck out seven batters while only walking one.

Gray is slated to start their Upper State bracket play on the road at Strom Thurmond on Friday and is grouped with Mid-Carolina and Chesnee.