Free State squads take Center stage | Free News
Ellisville-LJC make it to extra-special, extra-inning championship game in Dixie Youth World Series
Two exceptional youth baseball teams from Laurel and Ellisville took center stage on Sunday — in Center, Texas — for one last chapter of a memorable summer rivalry that led both squads to the Dixie Youth Baseball Regional World Series championship game.
After the Ellisville All-Stars erased an early three-run deficit to send the title game into extra innings, Tad Emfinger became the hero of the afternoon with a walk-off single to give the Laurel-Jones County All-Stars a 7-6 victory, claiming the ultimate prize as Dixie Youth 9U World Series champions.
The state champion and Dixie Youth World Series runners-up Ellisville 9U All-Stars. Front row, from left; Nolan Phillips, Cooper Robertson and Lauson Robertson. Second row; Gunner Westbrook, Carter Chancellor, Lleyton Blakeney, Blaize Sumrall, Brady Miller, Brayden Nix, Lochlan Sumrall and Bennett Grice. Back row; coaches Craig Sumrall, Jonathan Robertson and Nathan Westbrook. (Photo Submitted)
The finale was a fitting end for two rivals that went toe-to-toe several times over the past two months en route to the World Series.
While it wasn’t the first instance of teams from the Magnolia State crossing paths in the tournament, Mississippi Dixie Youth Baseball Director Tommy Rheams said, to his knowledge, no two squads had ever represented the state in the same finale until Sunday.
“This just might have been the first time this has ever happened,” Rheams said. “We send two teams from each age group every year, and it’s not uncommon for them to meet in earlier stages of the tournament, but I don’t believe we’ve ever seen both reach the final round.
The Dixie Youth World Series champion Laurel-Jones County 9U All-Stars: Asher Blakeney, Andrew White, Austin Walters, Cash Harris, Colt Robertson, Deion Ulmer Jr., Hayes Payne, Loden Farrar, Mason Welch, Ross Hopkins and Tad Emfinger. Their coaches are Clint Harris, Chad Robertson, Matt Hopkins and Brad Payne. (Photo Submitted)
“What makes it even more interesting is that these two faced one another in Columbia for the state championship, and that time, Ellisville won. Then they get out here for a rematch, and Laurel wins it all.”
Ellisville claimed the state title with two wins over LJC earlier this month, with a walk-off hit by Cooper Robertson to win 5-4 in the first game and a 6-3 win in the second. Both teams cruised to the final round of the World Series in Texas, earning four wins apiece to separate themselves from the competition as the clear best overall pair in the tournament.
LJC All-Stars Mason Welch and Tad Emfinger hug as their teammates rush to join the celebration after Emfinger’s walk-off hit in a 7-6 victory over Ellisville for the 9U World Series championship. (Photo by Amanda Blakeney)
“Those are two great teams that were well-coached, and they went at it all summer, so talk about a fitting way to end it,” Rheams added. “For both teams to have come this far is pretty remarkable.”
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