There was one major difference in Tuesday night's 5A East doubleheader between Marion and Jonesboro. In the opener, Marion was able to put together one big inning on offense en route to a 5-2 victory. But in the nightcap, the fightin' Pats weren't able to come up with the timely hit in a 2-1 defeat. Marion (9-4 overall, 3-1 5A East) and Jonesboro (10-4-1, 3-1) currently trail 4-0 Greene County Tech and Batesville in the league standings. The top four 5A East finishers qualify for the state tournament in May in Hot Springs. Marion senior starter Chase Armstrong handcuffed Jonesboro for four innings in the first game on Tuesday night. The Arkansas State signee worked four no-hit innings while striking out six hitters. Armstrong helped his own cause at the plate when he struck a double to center field and scored on a Dylan Kight hit. Jonesboro scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings for a 2-1 lead, but Marion hit the comeback trail in the home half of the sixth. Davis York and Armstrong singled with one out when pinch-hitter Slade Inman dropped a bunt that Jonesboro third baseman Hunter Hosman misplayed. The error scored courtesy runner Jett Sutton, while Armstrong advanced to third and Inman moved up to second. A second Jonesboro error plated Armstrong before Inman and Dylan Kight scored to cap the rally. Sutton threw the final 2.2 innings, striking out five batters, surrendering two hits, and allowing just one earned run. “We found ways to win the first one,” said Marion coach Pete Prater. “We made them (Jonesboro) play the ball, and that's what worked so well for us. We knew their starter would be in the zone, and he was. We talked all day yesterday about not taking fastballs and I think we took two all game.” The second game was a classic pitcher's duel between Marion senior righthander Ben Gerrard and Jonesboro's Rykar Acebo. Gerrard spun 5.2 innings against Jonesboro, striking out 10, allowing five hits, and two runs, just one of which was earned. Acebo was nearly as dominant, working six innings, striking out nine, surrendering four hits, and a single earned run. Jonesboro took the first lead of the night in the first inning when Acebo's fielder's choice scored William Morrison for a 1-0 Golden Hurricane advantage. Acebo carried a no-hitter into the fifth frame when the Pats' bats roared to life. Connor Taylor led off with a single, before Inman's textbook sac bunt advanced courtesy runner Landon Miller to second. Marion senior outfielder Kaleb Catt chopped a ball over the pitcher's mound to score Miller, while Catt legged out an infield single. The Marion rally extended when Gage Watson singled, giving the Pats runners on the corners with two out before Jonesboro wiggled out of the jam on a foul out. The game moved into the bottom of the sixth still knotted at one, but Gerrard showed no signs of slowing down. The senior struck out the first two Jonesboro batters of the frame before Acebo struck a two-strike double to right-center field. After Acebo's two-bagger, Hudson Hosman hit a 2-2 pitch down the third-base line, where Armstrong fielded it cleanly and fired across to Taylor. Hosman collided with Taylor's arm, and the ball rolled down the right-field line as Acebo sprinted to the plate with the go-ahead run. Sutton entered with two runners aboard and escaped the jam when Marion cut down Will Thyer at the plate for the third out. Marion went in order in the seventh inning. “Second game our approach at the plate totally flipped,” said Prater. “If I knew the secret as to why that happens, we wouldn't lose games like that.” Marion resumes its run in conference play on April 5 in a varsity doubleheader at Nettleton. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30, and both contests will be streamed live on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app.