Powell racks up 17 Ks as Chapel Field defends Class D crown

By Kyle Adams
Posted 6/1/22

Chapel Field junior right hander, Leam Powell, entered the Section IX Class D championship game intent on challenging Eldred hitters with his fastball.

That’s exactly what he did, and Eldred …

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Powell racks up 17 Ks as Chapel Field defends Class D crown

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Chapel Field junior right hander, Leam Powell, entered the Section IX Class D championship game intent on challenging Eldred hitters with his fastball.

That’s exactly what he did, and Eldred was never able to catch up.

The Lions won the Class D championship for the second straight year, with Powell compiling 17 strikeouts in the game.

“It’s like a dream. It’s incredible. We’ve got a great group of guys playing behind me,” Powell said. “I’ve just been riding out the fastball; that’s really all it was. They were behind on it, so just ride it out until they start hitting it.”

Powell allowed one hit in the top of the first inning, which was the only hit of the game. He walked three batters and did not allow a run in the complete game shutout.

“Leam wants the ball and he wants to get people out,” said Chapel Field coach Shawn Powell. “We’re coming here expecting to win. I wanted them to be excited, but I wanted them to come in and take care of business, and we did that.”

The Lions got their first run across in the bottom of the second inning. After Noah Swart reached on an error, Drew Hollo lined a two-out, RBI single to right to give Chapel Field the lead.

They tacked on two more in the fourth on a RBI double from Swart, who then came in to score on a balk by Eldred starter, Josh Warming.

In the bottom of the sixth, Drew Hollo drove in Logan Garvey with a base hit. Bryce Hollo knocked in Daimen Storch and Swart with another single, giving the Lions a 6-0 lead.

Bryce Hollo, a junior outfielder, went 2-for-4 from the top of the lineup, with two RBI. Drew Hollo, a freshman infielder and Bryce’s younger brother, went 2-for-3 in the eight-hole, with three RBI.

Working with Powell behind the plate this season has been eighth grade catcher, Logan Garvey.

“He’s young, but he’s a great catcher,” said Leam Powell. “He knows the game really well and has stepped up.”

“Leam, when we went into COVID two years ago, was like five feet tall. He was a little kid,” added Shawn Powell. “He’s really grown into his body and is super competitive. He gets the game. His baseball IQ is incredible. Logan Garvey is the same way, but he’s already 6’3” in an eighth-grade body.”

Chapel Field and Eldred were the only two teams in the Section IX Class D bracket, each advancing straight to the championship game at Lorenz Field in Saugerties.

While it’s Chapel Field’s second straight sectional title, the 2021 state tournament had been canceled, so they did not get the opportunity to advance, like they will this year.

“There’s always that question of wondering,” said Coach Powell. “Could we have gone farther? Where do we stack up?”

The Lions will face Section II’s Germantown on Saturday, June 4 at Park Terrace Elementary School, Gloversville at 1 p.m. in the Regional Championship game.

“We’re building a program. This is my second year and a lot of these guys have been playing for a few years together,” Shawn Powell said. “We won last year. We came in expecting to again this year, if the guys did their jobs. Our goal has been a state championship.”

If Chapel Field wins their regional championship against Germantown, they’ll advance to the NYSPHSAA Class D Final Four at Broome County Community College on Friday, June 10. The state championship would take place the following day on Saturday, June 11 at Binghamton University.