Marion Athletics -

When the Marion Patriots started their league slate 0-2, with a difficult schedule upcoming, it may have been fair to wonder if Team 26 was going to be able to qualify for this year's postseason.

Eight consecutive conference wins later, and the Pats will definitely be back in the dance.

Marion (14-7 overall, 8-2 5A East) punched its ticket Tuesday evening by sweeping league and county rival West Memphis inside the friendly confines of A&R Construction Stadium by scores of 14-4 and 12-2.

The Patriots picked up their 11^th win in 13 tries, including eight league victories in a row.

Marion celebrates Senior Night on Tuesday, April 28, between varsity games against 5A East rival Batesville at home.

Marion muscled out 15 hits in the lid-lifter, including a 4-5 night at the plate from junior all-state performer and Florida Atlantic commit Kayson “Kbelle” McClain. She added seven RBI and three runs scored.

Eight of the nine Patriot starters recorded a hit, beginning with lead-off batter and all-stater Kolbie Triplett (2-5 with three runs scored), Kaitlyn Austin (four runs, an RBI and a walk), Kynlee Shaull (3-4 with two RBI), Kendall Eppes (1-3 with a walk), Madelyn Hamrick (1-2 with a run and a walk), Sophie Moore (1-4 with an RBI) and Serenity Nelson (2-4 with two RBI and a run).

Shaull made the offensive onslaught hold up inside the circle, and she worked six effective innings for the win. The sophomore struck out three batters and surrendered just three earned runs for her fourth conference victory this spring inside the circle.

West Memphis rapped out seven hits against Marion in the opener, including a pair from left-fielder Mackenzie Halford, who also scored twice. Pitcher Hailey Choate finished 2-3 at the dish with two RBI, while Margo Killingsworth was 1-3 with two RBI.

The Pats bats helped the hosts overcome an early 1-0 deficit when they struck for 10 runs in the home half of the first.

The uprising began when Austin doubled home Triplett to tie the score at 1 apiece, and McClain delivered Austin with a two-bagger of her own, and Shaull came up with a scoring single to score McClain for a 3-1 Pat lead.

With two outs, Nelson plated a pair of runs with a single for a 6-1 advantage, leading to an Austin sacrifice fly, and when McClain cracked a mammoth three-run home run to plate Triplett and Austin, Marion's lead was 10-1 after a frame.

The Pats added two runs in the third and two in the sixth to close out the victory.

Marion took control of the nightcap with six runs in the bottom of the second and five more in the home half of the sixth.

The Pats rapped out 11 hits in game No. 2, with Austin (2-4 with two runs and two RBI), McClain (2-4 with two runs and two RBI), Eppes (2-4 with a run and an RBI), and Hamrick (2-3 with two runs scored) all accounting for multiple knocks.

Marion created some two-out magic in the bottom of the sixth with the bases full of Patriots.

Triplett was hit by a pitch to force in the game's first run, and Austin reached on an infield single to double Marion's lead.

The big blow came one batter later when McClain split the left-center field gap for a double that cleared the bases as Marion's lead hit 6-0.

Marion closed the contest out in the bottom of the sixth when Moore scored on a Triplett bunt, Austin delivered Nelson with a hit, McClain drove in Austin with a knock, Shaul stroked a two-bagger to score McClain, and Eppes plated courtesy runner Payton Goode with a hit to clinch the victory for Marion.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion plays at Tipton-Rosemark Academy on Thursday afternoon, and the Patriots are back at home on Tuesday afternoon for a 5A East doubleheader against Batesville. The Patriots will honor their seniors between varsity contests against Batesville, and the series will begin at 4:30 p.m.
The Tipton-Rosemark and Batesville games will not be available on the Marion Patriots Activities Network.

5A EAST RESULTS FROM 4/21
Marion 14, W. Memphis 4
Marion 12, W. Memphis 2

Searcy 16, Batesville 0
Searcy 7, Batesville 4

Greene Co. Tech 5, Valley View 2
Greene Co. Tech 4, Valley View 2

Nettleton 4, Paragould 2
Paragould 11, Nettleton 6

5A EAST STANDINGS ON 4/22
SCHOOL CONF. RECORD
Searcy 10-0
Greene Co. Tech 10-0
Marion 8-2
Valley View 6-4
Paragould 3-7
Batesville 2-8
Nettleton 1-9
W. Memphis 0-10

5A EAST SERIES ON 4/28
Batesville at Marion
Searcy at Greene Co. Tech
Valley View at Paragould
W. Memphis at Nettleton