Marion Athletics -

Marion's offense has kicked into high gear as the weather has warmed up this spring.

The Pats bats started the 2026 season slower than expected, scoring four runs or fewer five times during a 3-4 start, including an 0-2 launch to 5A East play.

Since that date at Searcy, however, Marion has been reborn at the plate.

The latest example came Wednesday afternoon when Marion blasted Batesville 15-0 and 20-2 in a 5A East doubleheader sweep that clinched at worst the No. 3 playoff seed for Marion, and the Patriots remain alive for a potential conference title split going into next Tuesday's final 5A East series at Greene County Tech.

It was also Senior Night, and Marion recognized its four senior softball players (Kaitlyn Austin, Kendall Eppes, Presley Kuhn, and Serenity Nelson) between games.

Marion (16-7 overall, 10-2 5A East) excelled in both facets in the first contest against Batesville, ripping nine hits and allowing the Pioneers only a single hit and baserunner.

The Pats scored four times in the first inning, nine times in the second, and two times in the third to clinch a three-inning conquest.
Marion junior all-state performer and Florida Atlantic commit Kayson “Kbelle” McClain launched the Patriot attack in the lid-lifter with a 2-2 showing at the plate, scoring three times and driving in three runs, and her hits were a double and a triple. Junior all-state leftfielder Kolbie Triplett (1-2 with a run and a walk), Kuhn (1-3 with three runs, two RBI and a walk), Kynlee Shaull (1-1 with two RBI and a walk), Eppes (2-2 with two runs, an RBI and a walk), Hailey Bateman (1-1 with a run and a walk), and Sophie Moore (1-1 with an RBI and a walk), finished with hits for Marion, while Madelyn Hamrick and Austin also drove in runs.

Shaull was splendid inside the circle, surrendering just one hit over three innings with three strikeouts to earn the victory for Marion.

Following the Senior Night recognition, Batesville scored twice in the top of the first in the nightcap, but Marion responded with 20 unanswered runs for victory.

Marion pounded out 17 hits in Game No. 2, getting three hits apiece from Kuhn (3-4 with three runs and two RBI), and Eppes (3-3 with three runs and an RBI), two each from Triplett (2-3 with two runs and two RBI), McClain (2-2 with three runs, two RBI and a walk), Shaull (2-3 with four RBI), Austin (2-2 with four RBI And two runs), and one hit from each of Hamrick (1-1 with three runs), Bateman (1-2 with two runs, an RBI and a walk), and Moore (1-1 with two RBI and a walk).
Shaull completed the sweep by striking out five Pioneers over 2.2 innings, allowing just two hits and zero runs, to pick up her second victory of the afternoon.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion hosts Des Arc at 11 a.m. Saturday morning, before traveling to Greene County Tech on Tuesday, May 5, for the final 5A East conference series of 2026, in a series that you can watch for free on MPAN.

5A EAST RESULTS FROM 4/29
Marion 15, Batesville 0
Marion 20, Batesville 2

Searcy 3, Greene Co. Tech 0
Searcy 4, Greene Co. Tech 3

Valley View 10, Paragould 5
Valley View 8, Paragould 1

W. Memphis 3, Nettleton 2
Nettleton 13, W. Memphis 3

5A EAST STANDINGS ON 4/30
SCHOOL CONF. RECORD
Searcy 12-0
Marion 10-2
Greene Co. Tech 10-2
Valley View 8-4
Paragould 3-9
Batesville 2-10
Nettleton 2-10
W. Memphis 1-1

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