World Series runner up

The Dixie Angels 10 and under all-stars made the trip to the Dixie Youth World Series last weekend and came home as runner up in the national tournament. They are: first row from left, Clondi Bess, Maddie Wyrick, Kaitlyn Wellmon, Emily Hayes, Cierra Dixon and Michael O’neal. Second row, left to right, Lia Davis, Jaclyn Ponder, Cayla Drotar, Jayson Hicks, Zoe Carter and Sydney Ferrence. Coaches are Star Flowers, head coach Timmy Drotar and Frances Carter.

By: | SCNOW
Published: August 08, 2008

ALEXANDRIA, La. – The Hartsville Dixie Angels arrived at the 10 and Under Dixie Youth World Series as the South Carolina State Champion.
They left the tournament as national runner up.

The Angels opened their first game with a loss to Tennessee. “(The girls) were down a little bit after the first loss,” head coach Timmy Drotar said Thursday on the trip back to Hartsville. “But they got fired back up and played good ball. They said they weren’t going to lose anymore. We just had to keep battling and battling.”

And battle they did.

The loss sent the South Carolina representatives to the losers bracket, a bracket they fought their way out of.

They defeated Georgia, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana.

Those wins put the Angels into a three-way tie for the championship with Louisiana and Alabama. Alabama, through the luck of the draw, got the bye. That left South Carolina to battle Louisiana again for a shot at the title.

The Angels fell to Louisiana 4-2. “We played really good, but we just had a few errors,” Drotar said.

Drotar also said members of the team from Alabama let him know they were happy to be facing Louisiana and not South Carolina. “We were the best hitting team there,” the coach said.

Although the first loss put them in a bind, Drotar said he believed in his team. “I knew they had it in them to battle back. I knew in my heart we were one of the teams to beat.”
The coach also said the tournament was an emotional roller coaster for the girls, from the opening loss to the loss in the championship round.

“They were emotionally overwhelmed by making it to the championship and losing,” he said. “But they were proud to represent South Carolina and know that Hartsville was represented in the tournament.”

Drotar was pretty overwhelmed, too. “It was awesome. It was great just to be here for the last day of the tournament.”

The Angels now have a date with Hartsville City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 12, to show off a big trophy and be congratulated by councilmembers.