In the past six years, the Orange Beach softball program has posted a 234-30 record — and by now, it’s well known the Lady Makos are chasing an AHSAA record-breaking sixth straight state title.

Still, Orange Beach continues to raise the standard. This past week, head coach Shane Alexander’s squad earned a unanimous No. 1 overall ranking across all major national polls, including MaxPreps, Sports Illustrated and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The Lady Makos also hold the No. 1 spot in Alabama in both the AWSA and MaxPreps state polls.

CAREER RECORD WATCH

A sixth title this season would tie Orange Beach for third all-time in AHSAA history alongside Sparkman and Hatton.

And while there’s no shortage of milestones to track when it comes to the Makos, several significant ones center around Orange Beach’s three senior leaders — all of whom have been part of the five state championship teams.

Catcher Ava Hodo and shortstop Katie King are Arkansas signees, while second baseman Teagan Revette is signed to Mississippi State. Hodo is also ranked as the No. 1 player in the country this year according to PerfectGame. At the plate, King and Hodo both hold career batting averages above .500, while Revette sits just behind at .490.

King and Revette are both on pace to finish among the top 10 all-time in runs scored this season and could push into the top five — or even top three — before their careers end. King is also closing in on another major milestone with 41 career triples, just five shy of the all-time record.

In the power categories, Hodo and Revette continue climbing the career home run list. Hodo currently sits seventh all-time with 73, just 14 shy of the state record, while Revette ranks 10th with 68, 19 away from the top mark.

Jenna Ergle’s career RBI record of 536 may be out of reach, but Hodo has a chance to finish second all-time. She currently sits fourth with 371 RBIs. Hodo also ranks fifth all-time in walks with 146 and could climb into the top three there.

Both Hodo and Revette have already surpassed 350 career hits as well, placing them among the top 20 all-time with a chance to move into the top 12-15. The duo is also tied for 10th all-time with 79 career doubles.

Records are made to be broken, and with the upward trend of the Orange Beach program I expect more records to be broken by current and future Makos. But when Hodo, King and Revette hang their prep cleats up in May, the three seniors can say they set the standard. 

CURRENT SEASON

Orange Beach carried a 45-game winning streak dating back to last season before falling 6-1 to nationally ranked South Warren (Ky.) last week. Despite a loss that blemished an undefeated record, the streak still ranks second all-time in AHSAA history, finishing 15 wins shy of Mortimer Jordan’s record of 59. The Lady Makos currently sit at 30-1 this season.

Now let’s dive into the players. While there are plenty to talk about, there may not be many having a better season than ace pitcher MK McMullan.

The sophomore has been dominant in the circle, ranking seventh in the state with 148 strikeouts while posting the second-best ERA at 0.52. She has allowed just 20 walks and eight earned runs while recording the second-most wins in the state with 19. McMullan has also hit for power this season in the middle of the lineup, tied third on the team with seven home runs.

Speaking of the long ball, Revette’s team-leading 10 home runs this season are tied for 16th in the state. Revette, King and sophomore standout Jayde Palmer are all hitting above .500, with Palmer leading the team at .526. Hodo paces the team with 40 RBIs, and Palmer also leads the team with 10 doubles.

Rounding out the offensive individual leaders, King and Revette are tied for the team lead with 48 runs scored, while King leads with 45 hits and 17 stolen bases as well.

McMullan has logged a team-high 106.2 innings in the circle, but transfer Kenlie Williams has also made a significant impact. Williams has thrown 44.2 innings with 30 strikeouts and just 13 walks, and she recorded the rare feat of a perfect game earlier this season.

As a team, Orange Beach is hitting .395 — which is well above the national average of .325 according to MaxPreps. The Makos have also tallied 292 runs (national average is 84), 284 hits (89), 264 RBIs (65) and 49 home runs (5). Additionally, the team has racked up 107 extra-base hits, and boast a .477 on-base percentage with a .697 slugging percentage.

Stats and records were compiled from the official AHSAA website, MaxPreps and the GameChanger app.

A TALENT RICH PROGRAM

The Lady Makos’ success extends well beyond their senior trio. Having arguably the best offensive season on the team, Palmer is regarded as one of the top prospects in the country for the 2028 class and already holds offers from top programs, as does McMullan for her performance in the circle.

Junior outfielder Taylor Poland is committed to the reigning national runner-up Texas Tech Red Raiders and is considered one of the top prospects in Alabama for the 2027 class.

Senior infielder Addy Oldham has signed with Northwest Florida State College, and fellow senior Williams is signed to Faulkner University. Junior center fielder LC Robbins is committed to Liberty and several other underclassmen continue to draw attention from college scouts as well.

Before their first title in 2021, the Makos were trying to break through as a program in a recently opened high school. Little did the prep sports world know at that time, but Orange Beach softball is here to stay.