American Legion baseball is on in Lexington County as the area’s three local teams make their way through the season. 

Each team has gotten off to a solid start, entering this week all around 0.500. The teams should start to space out a bit as more games pass and league play begins. 

Last week was full of action, with six games taking place. Lexington Post 7 and Chapin/Newberry Post 193/24 each played a two-game series. West Columbia Post 79 played in two series. 

Chapin/Newberry and West Columbia played each other twice last week, once at each team's home sites. The pair split the series, but it was the road team that won each time. 

West Columbia hosted game one at Pelion High School, losing 12-3. Chapin/Newberry got off to a fast start, going up 3-0 in the top of the first. 

That lead would extend by one run each in the fourth and fifth innings to go into the sixth up 5-0. Chapin/Newberry popped off three more runs to go up 8-0 before West Columbia finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning. 

West Columbia scored two, but Chapin responded with four runs in the top of the seventh to lead 12-2. West Columbia earned one run in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t score anymore before Chapin/Newberry got the game’s final three outs. 

Colby Livingston got the win on the mound for Chapin/Newberry. He pitched five scoreless innings that allowed his team to build an insurmountable lead. He finished the game with five strikeouts while giving up three hits, one walk and no runs.

Game two at Chapin swung in West Columbia’s favor. Bats were active early as each team put up four runs on the board by the end of the third inning. 

However, things slowed down from there as neither team would score again through the seventh inning. With the game tied, the contest went into extra innings.

The eighth went by with neither team scoring. Finally, in the ninth inning, Chase Starkey singled with runners on to score two and put West Columbia up 6-4. 

Chapin/Newberry was unable to respond, ending the game.

West Columbia also played a series against Summerville. The team also split those two games to finish the week (2-2). 

Lexington improved to (4-1) this season after splitting a series with Camden last week. 

This week will feature nine games as league play begins. Chapin/Newberry will play Greenwood three times, Lexington plays Sumter and West Columbia faces Richland. 

Full scores and schedules can be found below.

This week’s schedule

Monday

West Columbia vs. Richland

Lexington vs. Sumter

Chapin/Newberry at Greenwood

Tuesday

West Columbia at Richland

Chapin/Newberry vs. Greenwood

Wednesday

Lexington at Sumter

Thursday

West Columbia vs. Richland

Chapin/Newberry vs. Greenwood

Lexington vs. Sumter

Last week’s scores

Chapin/Newberry Post 193/24 - at West Columbia (12-3, W), vs. West Columbia (6-4, L)

Lexington Post 7 - at Camden (6-3, L), vs. Camden (10-4, W)

West Columbia Post 79 - at Summerville (12-0, L), vs. Chapin/Newberry (12-3, L), vs. Summerville (10-2, W), at Chapin/Newberry (6-4, W)