By Thomas Grant Jr.
The road to the state championship has once again taken the Chapin girls’ lacrosse team back to Irmo High School.
After wins over Socastee and River Bluff, the Lady Eagles played host to Wando in the Class 5A Lower State final. They jumped out to a 6-3 halftime lead before prevailing 11-5 for their fourth state championship appearance.
Awaiting the Lady Eagles is a familiar foe in Fort Mill. The Lady Yellow Jackets defeated J.L. Mann in overtime 10-9 to win the Upper State final and set up a rematch from the 2019 title match won by Chapin 9-6.
The win capped an undefeated season for the Lady Eagles in winning for the first time in three appearances. This season, Chapin is 17-2 with a victory over the Lady Yellow Jackets 10-7 on Feb. 12.
The Lady Eagles have won the past four meetings with Fort Mill, which won the previous eight in the series.
The 11 a.m. match kicks off the “Day of Champions” at W.C. Hawkins Stadium.
In boys’ action, the Chapin boys were defeated 15-4 by Wando. The Warriors played host to Dutch Fork in the Class 5A Lower State final on Tuesday.
BASEBALL
The Chapin baseball team moved closer to winning the Region 4-5A title on Monday.
The Eagles defeated defending Class 5A champion River Bluff 7-2 Monday to improve to 8-2 in Region 4-5A. Caden Reeves hit a 2-run homer and Jack Coletti followed with a solo shot in the sixth inning to break open the game.
Foster Apple struck out eight batters for the win.
Chapin traveled to South Aiken Tuesday before closing the regular season with a home-at-home with the Gators Wednesday and Friday. The Eagles hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over both Lexington and Dutch Fork.
SOFTBALL
The Lady Eagles find themselves in a 3-way race for first place in Region 4-5A entering the final week.
They were riding a four-game winning streak and control of their own destiny before a 14-13 loss to Dutch Fork last Saturday.
Leading 12-4, the Lady Eagles gave up eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Michigan signee Andee Dircks opened the top of the eighth inning with a solo home run, only for Allie Boone to respond with a walk off 2-run homer in the bottom half of the inning.
Chapin closes out the regular season with road region games against White Knoll and River Bluff. Dutch Fork finishes with the Lady Gators and Lexington.
Photo by Chapin Eagle Club
