Columbia Star

1963        Celebrating 60 Years      2023

Midlands’ team makes SC proud

Chapin Nationals Majors All Star Baseball Team finishes third in World Series and wins sportsmanship award



The Chapin National All Star Team includes front row:Caleb Mattox, Lawton Burkhalter, Rion Tapp, Cole Morris, Michael Melvin, Andy Davis, and Zack Haralambis. Middle row: Cole Lee, Jesse Morris, Will Clary, Parker McTeer, Connor Lowder, and John Mark Hughes. Back row: Coach Doug Clary, Coach Mark Burkhalter, and Coach Billy McTeer.

The Chapin National All Star Team includes front row:Caleb Mattox, Lawton Burkhalter, Rion Tapp, Cole Morris, Michael Melvin, Andy Davis, and Zack Haralambis. Middle row: Cole Lee, Jesse Morris, Will Clary, Parker McTeer, Connor Lowder, and John Mark Hughes. Back row: Coach Doug Clary, Coach Mark Burkhalter, and Coach Billy McTeer.

The Chapin Nationals Majors All Star Baseball Team finished third in the 50th Anniversary Dixie Youth Baseball (DYB) World Series played August 8–13 at Auburn, AL. “This was the first team from Chapin that ever made it out of the district tournament,” said Head Coach Mark Burkhalter. After making the tournament the coaches led their players, age 11–13 years old and students at Chapin Middle School, to the town called “the loveliest village on the plain” to compete for the DYB title.

The tournament field came from 11 states extending from TX to TN and VA. It included teams from LA., SC, NC, ARK, MS, AL, GA and FL.

Chapin’s good corps of hurlers had helped them get to the tourney “But we kind of ran out of pitching a little toward the end. We had some timely hitting in the district and state tournament and were just a couple hits away from being one of the top two teams in the World Series. We have several kids on this team who will definitely play at higher levels, “continued Burkhalter, a native of Albany, GA who moved to Chapin with his family three years ago.

On opening day, Chapin defeated McComb, MS 2–1. Centerfielder Will Clary and winning pitcher Jesse Morris scored the two runs for Chapin. The following day, Chapin took a 1–0 decision over Louisburg, NC. Winning pitcher Cole Lee tossed a two–hit game.

On Friday, August 12, four errors severely hurt SC’s chances in a 6–2 loss to Lee County, GA, creating a do–or–die scenario with Auburn. Auburn shelved Chapin 6–2 to move into a battle with Lee County who won the game and advanced to the finale knocking off Wayne County, TN 2-1.

Chapin finished the campaign at 16–5 and was awarded the Danny Jones Sportsmanship Award presented annually to the team exemplifying outstanding sportsmanship throughout the tournament.



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