Madison softball team wins state tournament
The Madison Mayhem travel softball team captured first place at a statewide tournament in Cullman June 27. Bottom row, from left: Aaliyah Wallace, Aubrey Little, Haley Branson and Erin Chambliss. Middle row, from left: Jenny Williams, Hannah Holder, Maddie Enabnit, Ally Davis, Lauren McCoy, Chloe Johnson and head coach Greg Johnson. Top row, from left: coach Rocco Sarley, Olivia Sarley and coach Patrick Michael. (Contributed)
By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
MADISON – A group of girls from Madison and surrounding areas across North Alabama are champions of the USSSA Fastpitch State Tournament, a two-day double-elimination tournament in Cullman that concluded on June 27.
The 11 athletes make up Madison Mayhem, which competes in the 16-under division of the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA). The Mayhem faced six opponents over the weekend, racking up a combined score of 54-18.
“We had a great time,” head coach Greg Johnson said. “They played very well. We’ve been playing really well all season, but it seems like this past weekend they really hit their stride.”
On Friday night, the Mayhem won both pool games against the North Alabama Pride, 4-3; and the Shoals Impact, 8-1. The two wins in pool play helped the seeding of the Mayhem, which was already the No. 1 seed going into the tournament, Johnson explained.
The next day produced four more wins, as the team exploded on offense to beat the Chaos Storm by a score of 17-5, and won the remaining games by scores of 7-1, 7-2, and 8-6, respectively.
The domination was seen across the board. While allowing 17 hits from opponents, the Mayhem managed 68 hits. The team also totaled 47 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.
With the setup of the team, Johnson said, and the way many of the girls’ birthdays fall, the team could be playing in the 14-under division. The athletes also play school ball, and Johnson said he likes the experience the girls get from playing better competition.
“I really feel like it makes the girls better to play older girls all the time,” he said.
The majority of the team has been playing together for “about four years,” Johnson said and plays tournaments nearly year-round, minus the school season from February – early May.
