Connor Taylor has crafted his baseball career at Marion as a reliable presence in the lineup, and in the field. The senior slugger emerged a season ago as the cleanup hitter on the eventual Class 5A state champions while playing nearly flawless defense at first base. Taylor's hard work and dedication paid off last week when he signed to play baseball at Lyon College in Batesville. “It's just a great feeling to see all of my coaches and teammates come out to support me,” said Taylor, who wears No. 11. “I'm excited to be able to continue to play the game that I love. I'm lucky too because Lyon is going to help me athletically and academically, and take me down the road, wherever it may lead.” Taylor is also a good student, and he admits that his balance between academics and athletics is important. “My grades are really important to me, so I've had to figure out how to manage my time,” said the senior. “The time I'm not doing homework or a project, I'm in the cage getting some swings in. My big thing is I want to make sure I'm always bettering myself each day, whether it's baseball or in class.” Lyon finished 2022 37-22 overall, with a sterling 16-5 mark in league action. The Scots earned the American Midwest Conference tournament title last May, pounding Columbia College 11-2 for the crown. Lyon won its opening game in the NAIA national baseball tournament before exiting via double elimination. “The first conversation I ever had with the coaches there was about seeing what I could do on both sides of the ball,” said Taylor. “That includes seeing me swing it, watching me do my thing in the field, and even throwing some. They said it's possible that I could be an arm for them next year.” Taylor finished third in RBI for the 2022 state champion Marion baseball club, but Marion coach Pete Prater was quick to heap praise on his senior slugger for another aspect of his game. “He's probably the best one I've ever had as far as defense at first base,” said Prater, who began coaching in the late 1990s following a distinguished career as a professional baseball player. “Everything he does is sound. He knows how to hold runners, knows how to receive throws. He thinks the game over there. You know, people don't think much about having a guy like Connor on first until you have a bunch of throws get by him to the screen. We haven't had to worry about that much since he joined the lineup.” Taylor drove in five runs in last season's state tournament at Hot Springs, including a clutch two-out, two-run single that opened the scoring in the semifinals against Sheridan. Marion would go on to defeat the Yellowjackets 7-0 before earning the school's first state title one week later with an 11-6 victory over Van Buren. “Last year was an amazing run, getting to play with the best guys our team had to offer, the best our conference had to offer, and the best the state had to offer,” said Taylor. “I just wanted to do my part on the team and be able to look back on it with my head held high.” Taylor's fingerprints are all over Marion's 3-0 start to the 2023 season. One of five seniors on the club, Taylor fired a five-inning perfect game on Monday night against Buffalo Island Central in a 15-0 victory, and he clubbed a mammoth home run in Tuesday night's 7-0 conquest of Class 6A power Jonesboro. “Our goal right now is to run it back for another state championship,” said Taylor. “We are going to give that the best shot we can. Most importantly, we want to enjoy every second of it.” Marion will host the Class 5A state baseball tournament at First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas Stadium, home of John Robbins Field. The tournament's opening day is scheduled for Thursday, May 11, followed by quarterfinal games on Friday, May 12, and the semifinals on Saturday, May 13.