August 18, 2015
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SHELBY, N.C. - There was no need for any late-game miracles this time.

Chapin-Newberry (S.C.) Post 193, which had rallied to win three games in the eighth inning or later before Tuesday night, used two big innings to push past Retif Oil (New Orleans) 9-2 and win the 2015 American Legion World Series championship.

Post 193 (32-1) led 2-1 after the first inning and used a three-run sixth and four-run eighth to break open the game. Peyton Spangler, Justin Hawkins and Kevin Burton each had two RBIs for Chapin-Newberry, while eight different players scored for the winners.

Chapin-Newberry got its crowd going immediately. Danton Hyman led off the top of the first inning with a single and took second on a sacrifice by Spangler.

That set up Hawkins to deliver his third home run in as many games. The shot easily cleared the leftfield fence and gave Post 193 a 2-0 lead.

Retif Oil (35-8) came with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Nicholas Ray singled to start the inning and moved to second on a groundout. Ben Hess then delivered a single that brought Ray around from second to close the gap to 2-1.

Neither team could mount a serious offensive threat for the next four innings, but in the top of the fifth Chapin-Newberry broke through with a three-run rally to open up a 5-1 advantage.

Burton started off with a single; Landon Allison followed an out with another single. Brad Smith then singled home Burton. A walk loaded the bases, and Zach Ziesing then drew a base on balls that plated Allison. Spangler was then hit by a pitch that brought home Smith.
            Retif came right back in its half of the sixth when Alexander Galy walked, took second on a balk and then scored on Jake Licciardi’s single.

But two innings later Chapin-Newberry broke through again. Duncan Crotwell tripled to start the inning and Ziesing walked. Hyman bunted and reached safely on a fielder’s choice, scoring Crotwell. An error on the play moved Hyman and Ziesing to second and third.

Spangler’s single scored Ziesing, and Burton then delivered a two-run single that scored Hyman and Spangler and gave Chapin-Newberry a 9-2 lead with an inning and a half to play.

Ryne Huggins came on in relief for Chapin-Newberry and got the win. He pitched the final 4.1 innings, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out five. Tristan Smaltz went the first 4.1 innings and allowed just one earned run.