Dixie teams ready for postseason play

Columbia County's baseball and softball teams start postseason play today, a year after four area teams represented the county at the national level.

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The Georgia Recreation and Parks Association Mite Live Pitch tournament at Patriots Park ends Saturday.

Riverside Park will play host to the Dixie Youth State tournament, which begins Saturday and ends July 17.

The county's Dixie Boys team plays its state tournament in LaGrange, Ga., beginning Friday.

The 11-12 Girls Ponytails softball team begins state play Thursday in Perry, Ga. The tournament runs through Sunday.

In 2008, four area teams competed in their respective World Series. The Columbia County Ponytails and Belles softball teams traveled to Pineville, La., which played host to both age groups' World Series. Columbia County's Dixie Boys and O-Zone squad also competed on the national level in 2008.

The county's Dixie Belles and Dixie Ponytails will play host to the World Series when it comes to Patriots Park in 2010.

Columbia County Recreation Manager Charlie Beale placed the bid before the 2008 World Series. He estimated last year that the World Series would have a $1 million effect on the area.

"Hopefully, we'll get into full steam as far as setting committees up and getting everything ready to go and start," Beale said soon after learning the county won the bid. "It will take us that length of time to get everything set."