Sebring to represent state

The Sebring Dixie AA team begins action this evening in the Dixie Youth AA Region 2 Machine Pitch Tournament in North Charleston, S.C. Sebring, the Florida state champions, play a team from Darlington, S.C. at 6 p.m., although it won't technically be the first game Sebring plays in South Carolina.

"We have opening ceremonies and introductions at 11 a.m. and then a warm-up game at noon," Sebring coach Anthony Gaines said.

There will be two concurrent Dixie AA tournaments being played over the weekend. The Dixie AA Region I tournament will be played in Clarkton, N.C., and has teams from Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, while the Region II tournament features teams from Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.

"They have the two regional tournaments, but this is technically the World Series for us, since it's as far as we can go," Gaines said.

Gaines said the majority of the team arrived on Friday and he was pleased that all of his players were able to make the trip.

"It will be nice for them to see regardless of where you are, it's still the same game," Gaines said. "It doesn't matter if you're in Florida, California or South Carolina. It's still baseball."

Gaines said the temperatures were expected to be exceptionally hot and the National Weather Service had a heat advisory in effect all day Friday.

Sebring will be one of the favorites in the 12-team tournament, but Gaines said the team doesn't look too far in advance.

"We just play one pitch at a time and let everything else take care of itself," Gaines said.

Florida will send Sebring, along with second-place Bartow, while Georgia and Alabama also will send the top two teams from their respective state tournaments. South Carolina, as the host team, will send its top four teams, as well as teams from Northwoods and Pepperhill, which will represent host North Charleston.

"This is all about fun," Gaines said. "It's for the kids."

Gaines said the community made it possible for the team to make the trip and he appreciated all the help.

"We want to thank the community for all of their help," he said. "We were able to raise a lot of money in a short time and we will represent the community well."

The team consists of Junior Algate, LJ Daniels, Desmond Gaines, Blayne Huter, Tad Little, Jorge Martinez, Kyle Mercer, Drew "Big Cat" Morris, Jade Sinness, Drew Smith, Robert Spoone and Brady Vincent.