TOURNAMENT BENEFITS LINCOLN COUNTY
Business leaders expect a boom from Dixie Softball Tournament

By Jon Mayhew
Publisher

VALE -- Batter Up! Business leaders in the central and western parts of Lincoln County hope the ongoing Dixie Youth Softball Tournament will mean the sound of more cash registers ringing. The tournament, which started Saturday, runs through Wednesday at West Lincoln Optimist Park.

Byron Sackett, operating partner of Fatz Cafe in Lincolnton, catered the opening ceremonies of the tournament Saturday night.

"The whole weekend's been crazy," said Sackett with a smile.

More than 400 players -- along with their parents -- are making up 33 teams for this year's tournament. Four teams from Lincoln County and two from Cherryville in Gaston County are teams entered in the tournament.

And the tournament is for the coveted North Carolina Dixie Softball State Championship.

West Lincoln will have the 7-8-year-old Darlings, 9-10-year-old Angels, 11-12-year-old Ponytails and 13-15-year-old Belles competing in the tournament. Boger City will have a 9-10-year-old and 11-12-year-old team and Cherryville will be represented by a 7-8-year-old and 13-15-year-old team.

Games will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday and run throughout the day, with the last game of the night beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday games will start up at 1 p.m. and go through 7 p.m., and on Wednesday winners will be crowned as several championship games will be played at 5 p.m.

The winner of each divisional age group proceeds to the Dixie World Series, which will be held the first week of August.

The event is no stranger to Lincoln County according to state tournament coordinator Angie Towery, as Lincolnton hosted the event two years ago.

"It was a huge success," said Towery. "It will be a huge succes this week." The tournament runs through Wednesday.