Marion Athletics -

PARAGOULD --- It's never easy to win on the road in the rugged 5A East, and Tuesday night's doubleheader between Marion and Paragould just furthers that notion.

Paragould took the first contest 5-4, after earning an early 4-0 lead, but the Rams had to hold off a late Marion rally, including two runs in the seventh, for victory.

Marion returned the favor in the nightcap, claiming a 7-6 conquest, after bolting out to a 7-0 lead entering the bottom of the second.
The Patriots moved into a fourth-place tie with Batesville following the doubleheader split at Paragould Sports Complex, as the teams boast identical 3-5 marks in 5A East play.

Marion closes out its 5A East conference schedule Tuesday, April 21, at home against West Memphis, Tuesday, April 28, at home against Batesville, and Tuesday, May 5, at Greene County Tech.

Batesville's final three 5A East series sees the Pioneers hosting Searcy next week, traveling to Marion the following week, and finishing up at Nettleton in the finale.

Marion trailed 4-0 in the top of the fourth, when the Pats dented the scoreboard when senior Brody Byrd ambushed a pitch for a long home run to get his team within three runs.

Trailing 5-1, Marion added a run in the sixth when Ladd Langley drove in Max Molloy with a sac bunt.

In the seventh, the Pats got within 5-4 when Robert Hall stroked a two-run home run with just one out, but the Rams retired the final two Patriots in order to clinch victory.

But Marion struck early in the second game of the twinbill, scoring five times in the top of the first and two more times in the second.

The initial Pat rally began with one out when Byrd walked, followed by singles from Coleman Barnett, Langley, and Sully McKewen, the latter of which delivered Byrd for the game's first run.

A Ben Bateman groundout plated Barnett, and when Solomon Flores blasted a two-run home run to left field, Marion led 5-0 after its first trip to the dish.

The Pats' bats remained in high gear in the second when Barnett again singled, stole second, and scored on Bateman's sac fly, and Langley gave Marion its second run of the frame when he walked and came down on a wild pitch.

From there, three Marion pitchers took the ball, looking to make the total stand up.

Molloy started the contest and worked two innings, striking out a pair of Rams and allowing a single run, before giving way to Bateman, who spun three innings, allowing five runs and striking out five.

Langley worked two shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts to slam the door on the Rams.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion hosts Wynne on Thursday, April 16, at 4:30, but that game will not be available on the Marion Patriots Activities Network.

5A EAST RESULTS FROM 4/14
Paragould 5, Marion 4
Marion 7, Paragould 6

Greene Co. Tech 10, Batesville 0
Greene Co. Tech 13, Batesville 7

Searcy 10, W. Memphis 0
Searcy 12, W. Memphis 0

Valley View 18, Nettleton 0
Valley View 15, Nettleton 0

5A EAST STANDINGS ON 4/15
SCHOOL CONF. RECORD
Valley View 8-0
Greene Co. Tech 8-0
Searcy 8-0
Marion 3-5
Batesville 3-5
Paragould 2-6
Nettleton 0-8
W. Memphis 0-8
Top four teams make state tournament May 14-16 at Greene Co. Tech.

5A EAST SERIES ON 4/21
W. Memphis at Marion
Searcy at Batesville
Greene Co. Tech at Valley View
Nettleton at Paragould