The 8U Birmingham Vipers, who are based in Hartselle, begin play in the USSSA National Championship in Fort Walton Beach, FL, this week.

The Vipers go into the week as one of the top-ranked teams in the tournament. They have won seven of the nine tournaments they have entered and finished second in the other two. They are 46-8 this season, including a 29-3 record since May 1st.

The team is coached by Erick Brenner, Derrick Meadows, Jeff South, Jason LeCompte, and Jeremy Penny.

The players are Ally Easter, Ava Gillespie, Bella Meadows, Maccie Tillman, Caroline Vines, Lillie Ward, Stevie South, Maddie Penny, Scarlett LeCompte, Aurora Brenner, Maci Vest, and Emma Clark.

Easter, Meadows, Tillman, Vines, Ward, LeCompte, Brenner, and Clark all played in the Hartselle Rec League. They were all selected to the 2019 6U All-Star team that won the USSSA State tournament and finished runner-up in the USSSA World Series.