Top row, left to right: Jeremy Lawson, John Hopkins, Paul Shaw, Paul Pierce and Brian Hinson. Bottom row, left to right: Jack Rivera, RT Lawson, Francisco Ramirez, Chandler Vaughn, Walker Flemming, Mitchell Bridgeforth, Landon Pierce, Jack Shaw, Ethan Hopkins, Thomas Holladay and Andrew Hinson. Not pictured: Garrett Murray. (Contributed)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – Just as the Major League Baseball season begins, a group of Madison kids are continuing to show what they can do on the baseball diamond.

After forming last June, the 8-under Madison Patriots travel baseball team can boast a fourth-place finish out of 27 teams at the Dizzy Dean state championships last July and a “middle-of-the-pack” finish at the 35-team world series in Southaven, Miss. last summer.

The Patriots are continuing their reign of terror in baseball tournaments around the state, as they just took top honors at the Turf Wars travel tournament in nearby Russellville on March 28.

“The big thing for us this year is we’re looking forward to competing at a higher level,” said head coach John Hopkins. “All these are Madison kids, and five of them go to the same elementary school.”

The Patriots played all five games on March 28, with the championship game ending in a 13–5 victory over the Fusion team out of Florence.

The real drama for the Patriots, though, came against the Athens River Cats in the semifinal game.

It was the fourth inning, and the Patriots were holding on to an 8–6 lead. The River Cats had two runners on base and the go-ahead run at the plate.

The batter hit one to left field for a potential multi-base hit, but left fielder Walker Fleming had a diving play to preserve the lead. The Patriots scored two more runs to end the game in six innings.

“These kids have gotten a lot better in the tournaments we’ve played,” Hopkins said.

Six Patriots hit home runs in the Turf Wars tournament. Mitchell Bridgeforth, Chandler Vaughn, Francisco Ramirez, Ethan Hopkins and RT Lawson hit one homer, while eventual tournament Most Valuable Player Jack Shaw hit three home runs that day.

The Patriots will continue to compete in United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) tournaments, including the Cullman Spring Challenge on April 11. The Patriots again dominated, going 5–0 in the tournament.