Tri-Cities from East Texas Is Heading to First-Ever World Series

The Tri-Cities Softball and Baseball programs have been around for quite some time in Deep East Texas, but there is one thing that has never happened...until now.

A team from Tri-Cities will be going to play in the Dixie League World Series. On July 29, the 19U Tri-Cities softball team will be in Alexandria, Louisiana to represent not only their league but also Trinity, Houston, and Angelina Counties.  Heck, for that matter, as state champions, they'll be representing the entire Lone Star State.

There are girls on the team ranging in age from 13 to about to turn 19 this month. They attend school at Apple Springs, Centerville, Kennard, Crockett, Latexo, plus one young lady who is attending Angelina College.  Not only is this a fascinating time for Tri-Cities Softball, but for some players, this will be their last softball tournament because either they will age out of the program after this season or will be attending college out of the area next year and will not be able to participate.

Anyone who has had a youngster playing sports knows that costs can get pretty staggering.  The cost of the uniforms, the travel, the equipment, and in this case putting up a team for young ladies and their coaches in hotels at the World Series in Alexandria.  There are several fundraisers that will be coming up soon.

Tri-Cities is hosting the 15U Dixie State tournament on July 16th and 17th at their complex west of Apple Springs near Centerville. The 19U Dixie State Champs will be there supporting their younger softball sisters and having a raffle for a handmade wooden cooler and split-the-pot fundraiser. The 15U tournament will feature teams from Tri-Cities, Diboll, and Central as they play for the state championship and the right to go to the 15U Dixie World Series in Tioga, Louisiana.

The 19U squad has other avenues in which you can support them. You can become a sponsor of the team. $100 sponsors will have their names on the sponsor banner that will hang at their softball complex.  Sponsors of $300 or more will have their name on the Team Banner that will travel to the World Series and be hung during their games. Saturday, July 23rd, the team will have a bingo event at Little Centerville School on Highway 94.

They have a GoFundMe account set up.

I had the chance to visit the team at one of the recent practices.  I was able to interview several of the ball players and coaches.  That interview will be featured Thursday morning (7/7) at 8:30 on the Merrell in the Morning Show.

Back Row - Shi'Lynn Lee (Apple Springs), Chloe Aycock(Apple Springs), Alex Kane (Crockett), Trinity Meadows(Crockett), Layla Powell (Angelina College), Terrah Breaux (Kennard), Darbi Ennis (Kennard)

front row - Brianna Commiato (Centerville/Groveton), Akeelah Whiting (Crockett), Julia Tapia (Crockett), Shelby Coker (Latexo), Kayla Pickle (Apple Springs)

Not pictured are: Head Coach: Chris Dickens, Coach: Gary Fitch, and Coach: Shona Lee