Another big game and another lights out performance for Chapel Field’s Leam Powell.

Powell threw his second shutout in seven days as the Lions beat the Section 2 champion Germantown Clippers, 2-0, in Saturday’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D regional baseball final at the East Side Recreational complex in Saratoga Springs.

“I’m at a loss for words right now,” Powell said. “It’s crazy.”

As was the work, Powell did on the mound; less than a week after shutting out the Eldred Yellowjackets to win the Section 9 Class D championship, he limited the Clippers to four hits over another complete-game effort. He walked two and struck out nine.

“The knuckleball was working pretty good today,” Powell said. “The fastball was great, too.”

The Lions’ offense did just enough, but most importantly for Powell, the Lions played flawless defense behind him, and even helped him out with some key throws in the fourth inning.

With the Lions leading 2-0, Germantown’s Owen Watson led off the inning with what appeared to be a leadoff double, but shortstop Mike Bonagura’s relay throw cut down Watson trying to stretch it into a leadoff triple for the first out of the inning.

It short-circuited a potential big inning as Powell walked the next batter and then gave up a single to Logan McDonald.

“Our guys love to compete,” Chapel Field coach Shawn Powell said. “They want the baseball and they’re always thinking, ‘how can I help my team out? How can we get that next out?’”

The defense got the next out too, as they caught Germantown’s Jonathon Mollo between second and third for an out, recording their second putout on the bases. Leam Powell then induced a comebacker to end the inning.

“It’s big to know my infield has my back like that,” Leam Powell said.

Powell had two clean innings – the second and third – but the fourth was the only inning in which two runners got on base.

The tying run came to the plate in the sixth inning when Germantown’s Shawn Lyons singled to left field and stole second base, but Powell struck out pinch hitter Evan Hoffman and Dylan Dibble to end the game.

“Leam loves to bring his best and he wants to play good teams, and we’ve been very fortunate and played some really good teams this year,” coach Powell said. “He’s worked hard. He’s got a great mind for the game, and he and (catcher) Logan Garvey are just incredible. They’re a duo that’s really on the same page, and Leam was just able to hit his spots.”

The Lions got just enough offense in the second and third innings. They got their first run when Germantown starting pitcher Mollo, walked Garvey. Noah Swart bunted him over to second, putting him in position to score on Andrew Hollo’s single.

Bryce Hollo led off the third with a single, stole second, took third on a delayed steal and scored on Leam Powell’s double.

“The reason we won this game really boils down to situational hitting,” coach Powell said. “We had guys on base in the right spot and we had a couple of hits at the right time.”

When the Lions won their Section 9 championship last year, there was no state playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so they didn’t get an opportunity to test themselves outside of Section 9.

Now that they passed their regional test, the state Final Four awaits, and they will face the winner of Saturday’s game between Section 5 champion Filmore and Section 6 champion Clymer-Sherman-Panama at 5 p.m. Friday at SUNY Broome.

A win Friday would put them in the state title game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Binghamton University.

“This means a lot to us,” Leam Powell said. “We knew we could be playing here last year, and we strived for that all year. So, now that it’s coming true and we’re winning, it’s great.”