Arguably the best trait of the 2023 Marion softball team is the potential for a new hero every night. Whether it be someone in the lineup, in the field, or inside the circle, many knew that the Patriots boasted a deep roster of talented players. Tuesday night's 5A East doubleheader at Batesville displayed a little bit of everything Marion has to offer. The Patriots (19-6 overall, 11-1 5A East) got hits from eight of the nine starters in the lineup, as well as five stellar innings from senior pitcher Anna Murphy as the Pats cruised to a 12-1 victory in five innings. But Marion had to play catch up in the nightcap as Batesville bolted to an early 5-2 lead as the Pioneer offense hit high gear. But no matter. Marion scored five times in the second inning, six times in the fourth highlighted by a Mckenzie Shinabery grand slam, and two more times in the sixth to pull away to a 16-6 win. The Marion sweep coupled with last year's state runners-up Greene County Tech splitting a doubleheader with Searcy sets the stage for an intriguing final conference doubleheader on Tuesday, May 2 as the Patriots host the Golden Eagles to wrap up 5A East action. Marion and Tech will enter play with identical 11-1 records in league play meaning that a sweep either way would give that team the outright 5A East title and subsequent No. 1 playoff seed for this year's state tournament in Marion. Should the teams split, it would go to run differential. Marion can not finish worse than second in the 5A East standings regardless of what happens against Greene County Tech. GAME ONE MARION 12, BATESVILLE 1 Eight Patriots accounted for 13 hits in the lid-lifter, including two apiece from senior Brianna Morquecho (2-4 at Batesville with two runs scored), senior infielder Kelsey Baker (2-3 with three runs, three RBI, and a walk), junior outfielder Kelsey Eppes (2-3 with two runs and a walk), junior Anna Hitchman (2-4 with a run and an RBI), and junior Ella McConnell (2-4 with three RBI and a run). Baker pounded a gargantuan home run, while Shinabery, McConnell, and Eppes poled doubles. Marion struck for five runs right off the bat in the first inning, starting with Morquecho, who singled and scored on Baker's blast and the Pats led 2-0 just three hitters into the game. Eppes singled and scored on Hitchman's hit, and Murphy walked to give Marion two on with two out for McConnell, who cracked a double to center field, which delivered freshman Alexis Jones and Hitchman to make the Marion lead 5-0. Murphy took the ball for the bottom of the first with that five-run lead, and after the Pioneers scratched out a run in that frame, the senior stifled a potent Pioneer lineup. Murphy fired five innings at Batesville, striking out three batters, allowing two hits, and surrendering a single run. Morquecho got Marion moving again in the second when she singled, moved up on an error, and scored on a Baker single, and the Marion lead hit 7-1 when catcher Jacey Holder delivered Baker when Holder reached on an error. Eppes led off the fourth frame with a double before she stole third and scored on a Holder groundout. The Marion rally extended even with two outs when Murphy singled before giving way to Jones as a courtesy runner. Jones promptly stole second and scored on another clutch McConnell hit. Senior Claire Hall got in on the action when she stroked a single to move McConnell to third, and Shinabery delivered both runners with a double to left field that gave the visitors an 11-1 advantage. Baker scored on an error in the fifth inning to cap the scoring. GAME TWO MARION 16, BATESVILLE 6 The Marion lineup was in high gear again in the second ballgame, banging out 10 hits and 12 RBI, while accepting more walks (two) than strikeouts (one). Headlining the action in the nightcap was Shinabery (2-4 with six RBI and two runs in the second game), Morquecho (2-4 with three RBI and a run scored), Eppes (3-4 with two RBI), and Murphy (2-4 with three runs). The Marion offensive explosion helped Hitchman, who worked six innings, allowing six runs on six hits, while striking out five to earn the victory. Batesville earned a run in the top of the first, but the Marion machine got going when Shinabery reached on an error before stealing second base. Shinabery scored easily from second when Baker reached on an error, and Eppes delivered Baker with a single for a 2-1 Marion lead after an inning. But Batesville proved stubborn in the second, scoring four times on three hits as the Pioneers claimed a 5-2 advantage. Murphy sparked a second-inning rally when she singled ahead of Chloe Miller reaching on an error and Hall reached on a hit-by-pitch to load the bags with nobody out. With one down, Morquecho cracked a double to right that delivered all three runners to tie the game at 5. Eppes plated Morquecho with a single and Baker scored on a fielder's choice as Marion claimed a 7-5 lead entering the third. After Batesville got within 7-6 in the top half of the third, Marion bounced back when Shinabery plated Murphy with a double in the home half, and the Pats mounted one last rally in the fourth to pull away. The uprising began when Baker walked and Eppes walked leading off the fourth. With one away, Holder chased in Baker with a sacrifice fly and Murphy delivered a run with a hard grounder to first for a 10-6 advantage. Miller and Hall each reached on Batesville errors, which left the bags loaded with two outs for Shinabery, who cracked her seventh home run of the spring, a towering shot that left the Pats with a 14-6 lead after four. The first four Patriots reached in the bottom of the sixth when Murphy singled and scored when Hall reached on an error, and when Shinabery's sac fly delivered Miller, Marion notched a run-rule victory in six innings. WHAT'S NEXT? Marion hosts Covington, TN. Thursday afternoon for a 4:30 first pitch. Marion hosts Greene County Tech on Tuesday, May 2, which also begins at 4:30. The Pats host Brighton on Thursday, May 4 for Senior Night. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM APRIL 25 Marion 12, Batesville 1 (five innings) Marion 16, Batesville 6 (six innings) Searcy 5, Greene County Tech 4 Greene County Tech 6, Searcy 5 Valley View 12, Paragould 0 Paragould 4, Valley View 3 Nettleton 13, W. Memphis 8 Nettleton 15, W. Memphis 5 5A EAST STANDINGS ON APRIL 26 SCHOOL CONF. RECORD Marion 11-1+ Greene County Tech 11-1+ Searcy 9-3+ Valley View 8-4+ Nettleton 4-8 Batesville 2-10 Paragould 2-10 W. Memphis 1-11 +clinched playoff berth Arguably the best trait of the 2023 Marion softball team is the potential for a new hero every night. Whether it be someone in the lineup, in the field, or inside the circle, many knew that the Patriots boasted a deep roster of talented players. Tuesday night's 5A East doubleheader at Batesville displayed a little bit of everything Marion has to offer. The Patriots (19-6 overall, 11-1 5A East) got hits from eight of the nine starters in the lineup, as well as five stellar innings from senior pitcher Anna Murphy as the Pats cruised to a 12-1 victory in five innings. But Marion had to play catch up in the nightcap as Batesville bolted to an early 5-2 lead as the Pioneer offense hit high gear. But no matter. Marion scored five times in the second inning, six times in the fourth highlighted by a Mckenzie Shinabery grand slam, and two more times in the sixth to pull away to a 16-6 win. The Marion sweep coupled with last year's state runners-up Greene County Tech splitting a doubleheader with Searcy sets the stage for an intriguing final conference doubleheader on Tuesday, May 2 as the Patriots host the Golden Eagles to wrap up 5A East action. Marion and Tech will enter play with identical 11-1 records in league play meaning that a sweep either way would give that team the outright 5A East title and subsequent No. 1 playoff seed for this year's state tournament in Marion. Should the teams split, it would go to run differential. Marion is plus-46 after picking up the maximum 10 runs in a doubleheader at Batesville, while Greene County Tech is plus-45. Marion can not finish worse than second in the 5A East standings regardless of what happens against Greene County Tech. GAME ONE MARION 12, BATESVILLE 1 Eight Patriots accounted for 13 hits in the lid-lifter, including two apiece from senior Brianna Morquecho (2-4 at Batesville with two runs scored), senior infielder Kelsey Baker (2-3 with three runs, three RBI, and a walk), junior outfielder Kelsey Eppes (2-3 with two runs and a walk), junior Anna Hitchman (2-4 with a run and an RBI), and junior Ella McConnell (2-4 with three RBI and a run). Baker pounded a gargantuan home run, while Shinabery, McConnell, and Eppes poled doubles. Marion struck for five runs right off the bat in the first inning, starting with Morquecho, who singled and scored on Baker's blast and the Pats led 2-0 just three hitters into the game. Eppes singled and scored on Hitchman's hit, and Murphy walked to give Marion two on with two out for McConnell, who cracked a double to center field, which delivered freshman Alexis Jones and Hitchman to make the Marion lead 5-0. Murphy took the ball for the bottom of the first with that five-run lead, and after the Pioneers scratched out a run in that frame, the senior stifled a potent Pioneer lineup. Murphy fired five innings at Batesville, striking out three batters, allowing two hits, and surrendering a single run. Morquecho got Marion moving again in the second when she singled, moved up on an error, and scored on a Baker single, and the Marion lead hit 7-1 when catcher Jacey Holder delivered Baker when Holder reached on an error. Eppes led off the fourth frame with a double before she stole third and scored on a Holder groundout. The Marion rally extended even with two outs when Murphy singled before giving way to Jones as a courtesy runner. Jones promptly stole second and scored on another clutch McConnell hit. Senior Claire Hall got in on the action when she stroked a single to move McConnell to third, and Shinabery delivered both runners with a double to left field that gave the visitors an 11-1 advantage. Baker scored on an error in the fifth inning to cap the scoring. GAME TWO MARION 16, BATESVILLE 6 The Marion lineup was in high gear again in the second ballgame, banging out 10 hits and 12 RBI, while accepting more walks (two) than strikeouts (one). Headlining the action in the nightcap was Shinabery (2-4 with six RBI and two runs in the second game), Morquecho (2-4 with three RBI and a run scored), Eppes (3-4 with two RBI), and Murphy (2-4 with three runs). The Marion offensive explosion helped Hitchman, who worked six innings, allowing six runs on six hits, while striking out five to earn the victory. Batesville earned a run in the top of the first, but the Marion machine got going when Shinabery reached on an error before stealing second base. Shinabery scored easily from second when Baker reached on an error, and Eppes delivered Baker with a single for a 2-1 Marion lead after an inning. But Batesville proved stubborn in the second, scoring four times on three hits as the Pioneers claimed a 5-2 advantage. Murphy sparked a second-inning rally when she singled ahead of Chloe Miller reaching on an error and Hall reached on a hit-by-pitch to load the bags with nobody out. With one down, Morquecho cracked a double to right that delivered all three runners to tie the game at 5. Eppes plated Morquecho with a single and Baker scored on a fielder's choice as Marion claimed a 7-5 lead entering the third. After Batesville got within 7-6 in the top half of the third, Marion bounced back when Shinabery plated Murphy with a double in the home half, and the Pats mounted one last rally in the fourth to pull away. The uprising began when Baker walked and Eppes walked leading off the fourth. With one away, Holder chased in Baker with a sacrifice fly and Murphy delivered a run with a hard grounder to first for a 10-6 advantage. Miller and Hall each reached on Batesville errors, which left the bags loaded with two outs for Shinabery, who cracked her seventh home run of the spring, a towering shot that left the Pats with a 14-6 lead after four. The first four Patriots reached in the bottom of the sixth when Murphy singled and scored when Hall reached on an error, and when Shinabery's sac fly delivered Miller, Marion notched a run-rule victory in six innings. WHAT'S NEXT? Marion hosts Covington, TN. Thursday afternoon for a 4:30 first pitch. Marion hosts Greene County Tech on Tuesday, May 2, which also begins at 4:30. The Pats host Brighton on Thursday, May 4 for Senior Night. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM APRIL 25 Marion 12, Batesville 1 (five innings) Marion 16, Batesville 6 (six innings) Searcy 5, Greene County Tech 4 Greene County Tech 6, Searcy 5 Valley View 12, Paragould 0 Paragould 4, Valley View 3 Nettleton 13, W. Memphis 8 Nettleton 15, W. Memphis 5 5A EAST STANDINGS ON APRIL 26 SCHOOL CONF. RECORD Marion 11-1+ Greene County Tech 11-1+ Searcy 9-3+ Valley View 8-4+ Nettleton 4-8 Batesville 2-10 Paragould 2-10 W. Memphis 1-11 +clinched playoff berth 5A EAST SCHEDULE FOR MAY 2 Greene County Tech at Marion W. Memphis at Paragould Searcy at Valley View Nettleton at Batesville