Down 7-0 after one inning, a deficit which ballooned to 14-5 midway through the game, North Chatham came back Thursday night to win Game 1 of its American Legion playoff series with Clayton Post 71 by a 16-15 score.

That puts North Chatham one up versus Clayton at 7 p.m. tonight for Game 2 of the best-of-three series in the Area 1 West semifinals. The game will be played at Smithfield-Selma High School.

Saturday, if necessary, Game 3 will be back at Northwood High School's Donald Horton Baseball Complex at 7 p.m.