WEST MEMPHIS --- Marion's rallying cry for the 2025 season has been to “get in the truck,” an ode to the Patriots' early-season road-heavy schedule, as well as a nod to team chemistry and togetherness. On Tuesday afternoon, the Pats literally got in the truck to continue 5A East play at Crittenden County neighbor West Memphis. Marion improved to 16-7 overall this season, including a sterling 9-1 mark in 5A East play after sweeping West Memphis 13-0 and 21-2 at Blue Devil Complex. The West Memphis victories also ensured that Marion will have to get in the truck in May as the Patriots officially clinched a berth in this season's state tournament May 15-17 in Benton. Marion could finish anywhere from the No. 1 seed to the No. 4 playoff seed, depending on how the Patriots fare over their final four conference games, next Tuesday at Batesville, and then May 6 at home against league-leading Greene County Tech. The Patriots struck for two runs in the first inning of Game One Tuesday afternoon, adding four runs in the second, five in the third, and two more in the fourth to account for all the scoring. The Patriot offensive attack made a winner of senior right-hander Maddie Cupples, who fired four shutout innings at West Memphis, striking out two, and allowing a single hit to Emma Emberton. MHS accepted 12 walks from Blue Devil pitching, and the Patriots finished with eight hits, led by Chloe Miller (2-3 with three runs scored and two RBI in the first game), Kolbie Triplett (2-3 with four RBI and two runs) and Kendall Eppes (2-4 with three RBI and a run). Marion marched 19 batters to the plate in the first inning of the nightcap, scoring 16 times before adding five more runs in the second. The Pats made the most of their seven hits in the second game, getting a lift from Kynlee Shaul, who went 2-2 at the plate with three RBI while also firing three effective innings inside the circle to claim the victory. Shaul struck out three batters and surrendered just three hits in the win. Kayson “Kbelle” McClain led the way for Marion by driving in four runs and scoring twice, while Miller (two RBI and two runs scored), Triplett (four walks, two RBI and two runs), Eppes (two RBI and two runs), and Kaitlyn Austin (1-2 with four RBI and three runs scored) each had productive days at the plate, while Maggie Miller scored three times. Marion led 2-0 in the top of the second, when the first six Patriots reached base to begin the uprising. Presley Kuhn, Sophie Moore, and Madelyn Hamrick walked in the first three appearances of the frame, when Chloe Miller delivered Kuhn and Moore with a timely hit to right field for a 4-0 Marion lead. Leading 5-0 a few batters later, Jordyn Stinson forced in a run when she was hit by a pitch to give the visitors a 6-0 lead into the bottom of the second. That lead held until the top of the third when Moore led off with a single, followed by a Hamrick walk, and with one out, Triplett chased in Moore and Chloe Miller with a well-struck single to center field for an 8-0 Marion advantage. An Eppes double pushed the Marion lead into double digits at 10-0, and Shaul plated Eppes with a hit for an 11-0 Patriot lead after three. In the nightcap, Marion got two-run hits from Eppes, Shaul, Austin, Chloe Miller, and a three-run triple from McClain to quickly build a 16-0 lead after one full inning. Marion made the most of two West Memphis errors in the field, leading to three unearned runs, and Triplett and McClain forced in runs when they drew a walk and were hit by a pitch. WHAT'S NEXT? Marion hosts Tipton-Rosemark on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. for a varsity/junior varsity doubleheader. Marion seniors Maddie Cupples, Chloe and Maggie Miller, and Jordyn Stinson will be recognized at approximately 4:30 p.m. prior to the first pitch of the varsity game. Marion continues 5A East play on Tuesday, April 29, when it travels to play Batesville in a league doubleheader. You can watch the Batesville doubleheader for free on the MPAN YouTube channel, at MarionPatriots.com, or on the MPAN mobile app. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM 4/22 Marion 13, W. Memphis 0 Marion 21, W. Memphis 2 Greene Co. Tech 16, Valley View 4 Greene Co. Tech 15, Valley View 7 Searcy 10, Batesville 0 Searcy 19, Batesville 3 Paragould 9, Nettleton 3 Paragould 7, Nettleton 1 5A EAST STANDINGS ON 4/23 SCHOOL CONF. RECORD Greene Co. Tech 10-0+ Marion 9-1+ Valley View 7-3 Searcy 7-3 Paragould 5-5 Batesville 0-10 Nettleton 0-10 W. Memphis 0-10 +clinched state tournament berth The top four teams make the state tournament May 15-17 in Benton. 5A EAST SERIES ON 4/29 Marion at Batesville Greene Co. Tech at Searcy Paragould at Valley View Nettleton at W. Memphis