Patriots top Wynne, beat Kirby on Senior Night to stay hot

Marion notches a pair of non-conference wins as postseason looms

By Chuck Livingston

Marion School District

Marion pitcher Carson Catt reached back and fired a pitch in the seventh inning of Thursday’s non-conference tilt with Wynne.

As he approached the front of the mound, Catt lost his balance and fell to the turf with a laugh.

It was basically Marion’s only misstep of the week.

The Patriots got a completegame, three-hitter from Catt last Thursday in a 6-0 victory over Wynne, and the Pats celebrated Senior Night on Friday, topping Kirby 24-0 in three innings.

Marion improved to 17-6 overall with the pair of nonleague victories.

It also capped a dominant week in which Marion finished 4-0 after sweeping a conference doubleheader with West Memphis, and the Pats did not allow a single run over 24 innings.

Marion 6, Wynne 0

Catt’s complete game against Wynne, featured him striking out six batters.

Marion’s offense did its part, scoring two runs in each of the first, fourth, and sixth innings. Junior third baseman Cohen Bumbaugh was 2-3 against Wynne with two runs scored and drove in a run.

Wynne right-hander Sy Marrs took the loss at Marion after working 4.2 innings, allowing five hits and four runs. Walker Barnett recorded two hits for the Yellowjackets.

Marion shortstop Matthew Kearney led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, and catcher Landon Miller reached on a hit by pitch with one away.

Kearney scored on a passed ball, and courtesy runner Trey Fleming came down from second and Marion led 2-0 after an inning.

That tally held until the home half of the fourth when center fielder Parker Nash walked leading off the frame and scored when Bumbaugh smoked a double one batter later. Solomon Flores delivered Bumbaugh with a single as Marion fashioned a 4-0 lead.

Bumbaugh sparked one last Marion rally in the sixth when he led off with a single, followed by a Flores walk. A Kearney bunt single plated Bumbaugh and a Brody Byrd groundout capped the scoring for the game.

Catt faced the minimum through two innings, and he worked around a Barnett single in the third to maintain the shutout.

Wynne got a walk from Cooper Thompson and a hit from Barnett in the fifth with two out, but Catt induced a groundout to end the threat.

Catt worked a perfect seventh inning to close out the Yellowjackets.

Marion 24, Kirby 0

The Pats were right back at it 24 hours later for Senior Night, where the school honored seniors Landon Miller, Davis York, Carter Benton, Matthew Kearney, Parker Nash, Jack Carter, and Trey Fleming prior to the first pitch.

See PATS, page A10 PATS

From page A7

Following the ceremony, Marion scored seven runs in the first inning and 17 in the second to turn away Kirby.

Marion muscled 17 hits against Kirby, with Kearney, Miller, York, Fleming, Benton, and freshman Myles Holt all recording two hits or more, and Benton finished 3-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. Kearney was 2-3 with three runs and two RBI, while sophomore Coleman Barnett scored two runs and drove in a pair. Junior Tyler Carey plated two runs and scored once. Barnett and Logan Thompson recorded home runs against Kirby, while Fleming and Carey recorded triples. York doubled twice, while Holt and Benton each rapped out two-base hits.

Carter started and earned the victory for Marion after allowing just one hit over two innings and striking out three. Kearney worked a perfect third inning with two strikeouts when the game was called.

5A East Standings

Valley View 10-0 Marion 8-2 Greene County Tech 8-2 Batesville 6-4 Searcy 6-4 Paragould 1-9 Nettleton 1-9 West Memphis 0-10 Top four teams make playoffs in Harrison

5A East 4/30 Games

Marion at Greene County Tech Valley View at Searcy Batesville at Nettleton Paragould at West Memphis