Ja'Khia Hutchins on the basepaths
In state tournament action earlier this week, it was business as usual for Stevenson, Ala.'s Ja'Khia Hutchins.
First inning, walk, stole second, stole third, stole home.
Toward the end of the week in action at Albertville, Ala., Ja'Khia was tops in the nation in stolen bases - 91. And the member of the North Jackson Lady Chiefs has only been caught stealing three times in the 54 games played so far this season.
North Jackson knocked off Oneita 6-0. Ja'Khia had four stolen bases, and she was up to 67 runs scored - top seven in the country.
She nabbed seven bases in the tourney's second game, then two more as the Lady Chiefs beat Madison County to win Region.
Earlier this year, North Jackson proved they can play against top competition in Tennessee as well.
The defending Alabama Class 4-A state softball champions captured the 2022 ReMax Choo Choo/Lady Cane Invitational at the Summit softball complex in Collegedale.
The Lady Chiefs beat East Hamilton 3-2 in a Friday game, but nothing was even remotely close after that as they won six games over the weekend by a combined score of 63-6, including a 10-0 four-inning win over those same Lady Canes in the championship Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Chiefs play next week in Oxford, Ala., for the state title, If they win five straight, they are champions again. It's double elimination.
Ja'Khia is chasing the All Time Alabama base stealing record of 107.