Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Three Cherryville All-Star Dixie League softball teams captured championships this past weekend. Robert H. Ballard Park in Cherryville, NC, was the host site of the 2026 Dixie Softball All-Stars District 2 tournament June 12th – 14th. The tournament featured four divisions: Sweetees (6 and under), Darlings (8 and under), Angels (10 and under), and Ponytails (12 and under). The three Cherryville teams, along with the Dallas Ponytails, will be heading to the NC State Championships in July.
Three teams competed in the 6-and-under division: Cherryville, Dallas, and West Lincoln. Cherryville went undefeated en route to its district championship, defeating Dallas on Friday and West Lincoln on Saturday. The title game was played on Sunday against Dallas with a final score of Cherryville 13, Dallas 2. West Lincoln was awarded the sportsmanship trophy. The NC State tournament will be played in Leland, NC, on July 10-14.
Five teams were competing in the 8-and-under division: Cherryville, Kings Mountain, Bessemer City, Dallas, and West Lincoln. Bessemer City defeated Kings Mountain in game 1. West Lincoln defeated Dallas in game 2. In game 3, Cherryville had its biggest margin of victory, 21-0, over Bessemer City. Cherryville jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first innings, added 6 in the second, and scored 6 more off 7 hits in the third. They collected a total of 26 hits and 21 RBIs in the game, while holding Bessemer City to just 1 hit. In Game 4 of the elimination bracket, Dallas stayed alive by ousting Kings Mountain. Game 5 was also in the elimination bracket, with Dallas bowing to Bessemer City. In the next game, Cherryville outscored Bessemer City 5-3. Cherryville had 13 hits and 5 RBIs. Bessemer City collected 15 hits and 3 RBIs. The championship game saw Cherryville outlast West Lincoln 5-4. Cherryville had 9 hits and drove in 5 runs. They will now compete in the NC State Championship Tournament, July 10-14 in Leland, NC.
The 10-and-under division consisted of four teams: Cherryville, Bessemer City, West Lincoln, and Dallas. All three of Cherryville’s victories were lopsided. In their first game, they disposed of Dallas 19-0. They had 10 hits, 19 RBIs, and stole 12 bases. Dallas had 1 hit. The next game was against West Lincoln. The final score was 19-0 with Cherryville winning. They had 16 hits, 19 RBIs, and stole 6 bases. The championship game was also against West Lincoln. Cherryville had 14 hits, 19 RBIs, and stole 19 bases as they cruised past West Lincoln 22-0.
Lincoln, who only managed 1 hit. This Cherryville team will join the other two on July 10-14 in Leland, NC, for the NC State tournament.
Cherryville did not have a team in the 12-and-under division. Dallas, Boger, and Bessemer City competed for the District 2 title. Dallas defeated Bessemer City twice to advance. The first game was won 13-3 as Dallas gathered 9 hits, 8 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. Bessemer City had 2 hits and 1 RBI. In the second matchup, Dallas jumped out 6-0 in the first inning, then exploded for 11 runs in the second inning. Dallas collected 8 hits, 10 RBIs, and 8 stolen bases. Bessemer City had 2 hits, 1 RBI, and stole 3 bases. The NC state tournament for the ponytail division will be in Kinston, NC, on July 10-14.
Dixie Softball Inc. is a major non-profit youth softball organization open to girls ages 5-19. The league consists of six age divisions: Sweetees 5-6, Darlings 7-8, Angels 9-10, Ponytails 11-12, Belles 13-15, and Debs 16-19. Along with tournament play, college scholarships are also offered for ladies who compete in the league and meet specific academic requirements. Dixie softball is played in the South and Southeast. The 2026 season will culminate in the World Series. The Sweetees and Ponytails will be in South Brunswick, NC, on July 24th to begin their World Series, and the Darlings and Angels will compete in Belleview, FL. Beginning July 31st for their World Series.
