By Chris Sokoloski

csokoloski@gtowntimes.com

Gage Jeffcoat hit a walk-off grand slam on Thursday night to give Midland the Dixie Youth Baseball Ozone state title.

"I was thinking, just try and get a base hit and score one or two runs, and then the next batter would come up and get a hit and tie it," Jeffcoat said.

It was his first home run of the tournament.

Midland trailed Greenwood 9-2 going into the final at-bat, and then plated eight runs. It was sweet revenge, as Greenwood handed Midland its only loss of the tournament on the first day of competition.

"This team doesn't ever give up and they proved it right here tonight," Midland coach Wayne Ashe said. "I'm really proud of these kids. They really fought hard."

Sixteen teams from across the state, including Pawleys Island and Andrews, descended on Georgetown for the tournament. It was the first event at the county's new 8 Oaks Park on Highway 521.

"This has been great," Ashe said. "They did a great job."

Pawleys Island coach Marion Busby and Andrews coach Brent Watford praised the new park, calling the facilities, fields and overall experience, "awesome."

More than 3,000 people attended the six-day tournament.

"It was fabulous," said Beth Goodale, director of Georgetown County Parks and Recreation. "Everyone was excited to be here. Everything went so well."

Goodale and her staff only had a few days to relax after the Dixie Youth tournament ended because 8 Oaks is hosting two Dixie Softball tournaments starting July 28.

Twenty-two teams of Darlings and Angels from across the South, including two from Andrews, will begin play at 10 a.m.

All the vendors who worked the Dixie Youth tournament signed up for the next two events, and Goodale said more vendors, sponsors and volunteers have also signed on.

"[8 Oaks is] serving its purpose," she said. "I think everything's going very well."

At least nine more tournaments are already booked at 8 Oaks in the next year and Goodale expects that number to increase.

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The county is always looking for sponsors, vendors and volunteers for upcoming tournaments.

For more information call Paul McCulloch at Parks and Recreation at 545-3319.