For the fourth time in as many varsity seasons, the Orange Beach Makos were crowned AHSAA State Softball Champions with a 2-1 win over the Brooks Lions in the Class 4A finals Tuesday evening in Oxford.

With two titles its first two seasons on the Class 2A stage (2021 and 2022), Orange Beach has now gone back-to-back in Class 4A with Blue Map trophies in 2023 and 2024. The Makos finished the season on a 13-game win streak to earn an overall record of 46-1.

Now only one spot behind Pisgah (2001-05) for the Alabama High School Athletic Association record for most consecutive state championships, Orange Beach moves into a tie with Springville (2015-18) and Hatton (2010-13) for second place. And with only three seniors out of 19 roster spots, the Makos could be primed to attack that record.

Championship action

Orange Beach scored in the first and third innings then held on as junior South Carolina commit KG Favors scattered just four hits. One of them was a leadoff triple in the seventh inning as the Lions threatened to score.

After another Brooks batter reached base, a first-and-third defense was triggered that baited the runner to try and steal home plate. As junior first baseman and Louisiana Christian commit Kaitlynn Robertson went to chase the first runner, she turned and delivered a strike to sophomore catcher Ava Hodo who applied the tag before the other runner could reach home.

Favors then induced two more popups and the Makos secured their fourth straight state title. The pitcher, who recorded her 600th career strikeout during the regional championship, was also recognized as the State Tournament MVP for the third consecutive year.

How they got there

Orange Beach went undefeated in postseason play and earned their spot in the finals with state tournament wins over Curry (10-2), Cherokee County (7-6 in 8 innings) and Houston Academy (6-3).

Hodo was the Makos’ walk-off hero in the winners’ bracket semifinal game against Cherokee County with a solo home run that led off the eighth inning. Three lead changes and one tie brought on extra frames but Hodo’s second RBI of the contest instead ended things.

In a rematch of last year’s state finals and this year’s regional championship, Orange Beach took down Houston Academy with a three-run top of the seventh then turned away a bases-loaded jam in the bottom half. Sophomore Katie King went 3-for-3 at the plate with a triple, double and single, 2 runs and an RBI. Favors delivered 7 strikeouts over 7 innings against 5 hits to complement a 2-for-4 day at the plate with 2 RBIs.

Brooks battled out of the elimination bracket following a first-round loss to Houston Academy (2-0). The Lions beat Northside (6-4), Cherokee County (6-0), Madison County (12-5) and then avenged their loss to Houston Academy with a 1-0 win to earn their spot in the finals.

In its third game of the day, Brooks would have had to win to earn a fourth contest in the double-elimination bracket and threatened at the start of the seventh inning with the leadoff triple.

Makos won their fourth for their No. 4

Also in the winners’ bracket finals against Houston Academy, Orange Beach lost junior shortstop and Auburn commit Daigle Wilson to an errant hop on a ground ball that struck her face. Mako head softball coach Shane Alexander reported no orbital fractures from the CT scan but said her nose was indeed fractured.