Dixie Youth state tourneys begin at Freedom Florence

FLORENCE — The Maple and McLeod Park baseball teams have taken different approaches in preparing for the Dixie Youth State Tournaments.

The Maple Park minors and McLeod Park majors have not played in meaningful games for six weeks leading up to the state tournament, which gets started today and runs through Thursday at Freedom Florence.

The teams were guaranteed spots in the tournament by virtue of Florence hosting the tournament and didn’t play in the district and sub-district qualifying tournaments.

So Maple Park coach Mike Jones and McLeod Park coach Steve Calcutt have used the time by scrimmaging and working on fundamentals to try and stay sharp.

“I think it’s a good thing,” Jones said of the layoff. “I have had a good chance to spend time and work on a lot of details with the players. And if we were playing, we wouldn’t have had time to do it.”

The coaches also have tried to keep things loose and let their players enjoy the chance to play in a state tournament.

Jones gave his players a week off so they could enjoy vacations with their families.

Calcutt arranged a trip to Fantasy Lake in Fayetteville, N.C., and had a couple of swimming parties for the players.

“It’s been a lot of fun for the players and coaches,” Calcutt said. “These kids are really excited and ready to play.”

The Maple Park Majors had to win their way into the tournament. Maple Park stormed through the districts and sub-districts, winning all seven games.

“We have one of the better districts, so being able to win that will help us going into the state tournament,” Maple Park Majors coach Keith Hill said.

And Hill thinks his team is ready to make a long run in the tournament.

“Obviously we want to win it,” he said. “And we think the team we put on the field will be competitive and will be one of the ones to deal with before we finish the thing.”

Despite the different ways of getting to the tournament, all three coaches agreed winning the first game will have a huge impact in the double elimination format.

“You certainly want to play as if every game is your last,” Calcutt said. “We want to come out and get on the right foot. We play a good team from Columbia, and hopefully, we can do that.”

“Winning that first one takes the pressure off and puts it on another team,” Hill said.

In addition to the Florence, squads, the Hartsville Majors and Dillon Minors teams also qualified for the tournament.

This is the second time in the last three years Freedom Florence has hosted the event.

SCHEDULE
MINORS
Today
Opening ceremonies, 2:30 p.m.
Game 1:  North Myrtle Beach vs Dillon , 4 p.m.
Game 2:  Parks Field American vs Rock Hill National, 4 pm
Game 4: Bishopville vs Pineview           6 p.m.
Game 5: Gregg Park vs Sumter American, 6 p.m.
Game 3: Maple Park vs Seneca             8 p.m.
Game 6:  Hilton Head American vs Mid Carolina , 8 p.m.
Sunday
Home Run Derby (Freedom Florence lower complex), 1 p.m.
Game 7:  Elimination Game L1 vs L2,  3:30 p.m.
Game 8:  Elimination Game L3 vs L4         3:30 p.m.
Game 9:  Elimination Game L5 vs L6         5:30 p.m.
Game 10: Winners’ Game W5 vs W6           5:30 p.m.
Game 11: Winners’ Game W3 vs W4           7:30 p.m.
Game 12: Winners’ Game W1 vs W2           7:30 p.m.
Monday
Game 13:  Elimination Game W8 vs W9, 5:30 p.m.
Game 14:  Elimination Game W7 vs L11, 5:30 p.m.
Game 15:  Elimination Game L10 vs L12, 7:30 p.m.
Game 16:  Winners’ Game W11 vs W12, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Game 17:  Elimination Game W13 vs W14, 5:30 p.m.
Game 18:  Elimination Game W15 vs L16, 6:30 p.m.
Game 19:  Winners’ Game W10 vs W16, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Game 20: Elimination Game W18 vs L19, 5:30 p.m.
Game 21: Possible Elimination Game W17 vs W19, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
Game 22: Championship Game, 1 p.m.     
Game 23: Championship Game II (if necessary), 4 p.m.
MAJORS
Today
Opening ceremonies, 2:30 p.m.
Game 1:  York Central vs Surfside Beach, 4 p.m.
Game 2: Hampton/Varnville vs Gregg Park, 4 p.m.
Game 4: Walhalla vs Lake Marion           6 pm
Game 5:  Parks Field American vs. Hartsville National, 6 p.m.
Game 3:  Midlands vs McLeod Park, 8 p.m.
Game 6:  Maple Park vs Laurens, 8 p.m.         
Sunday
Home Run Derby (Freedom Florence lower complex), 1 p.m.
Game 7: Elimination Game L1 vs L2, 4 p.m.
Game 8: Elimination Game L3 vs L4, 4 p.m.
Game 9: Elimination Game L5 vs L6, 6 p.m.
Game 10: Winners’ Game W5 vs W6, 6 p.m. 
Game 11: Winners’ Game W3 vs W4, 8 p.m.
Game 12: Winners’ Game W1 vs W2, 8 p.m.
Monday
Game 13:  Elimination Game W8 vs. W9, 6 p.m.
Game 14:  Elimination Game W7 vs. L11, 6 p.m.
Game 15:  Elimination Game L10 vs. L12, 8 p.m.
Game 16:  Winners’ Game W11 vs. W12, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, July 28
Game 17:  Elimination Game W13 vs. W14, 6 p.m.
Game 18:  Elimination Game W15 vs. L16, 7 p.m.
Game 19:  Winners’ Game W10 vs. W16, 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Game 20:  Elimination Game W18 vs L19, 6 p.m.
Game 21:  Possible elimination Game W17 vs W19, 8 p.m.
Thursday
Game 22:  Championship game,            1 pm
Game 23:  Championship game       II (if necessary), 7 p.m.