PARAGOULD --- As the temperature rises this spring, so too does the level of play for the Marion baseball team. The latest example of this phenomenon came Tuesday night when the Patriots played at Paragould for the first time since 2018 and came away with a pair of 10-0, five-inning victories that improved Marion to 13-5 overall in 2024 and 6-2 in 5A East action at Paragould Sports Complex. Marion claimed the opener when it scored three times in the first inning, twice in the third, three more times in the fourth, and two times in the fifth. Junior right-handed starting pitcher and Central Arkansas commit Cohen Bumbaugh made it stand up by firing a five-inning no-hitter at Paragould. Bumbaugh's third conference start of 2024 allowing one hit or fewer was highlighted by nine strikeouts and just one walk. He threw 42 of his 66 pitches for strikes against the Rams. The Marion offense muscled out 11 hits at Paragould, including a 4-4 performance from senior all-state shortstop Matthew Kearney, who scored three runs, stroked two doubles, and drove in a run. Trey Fleming and Carson Catt also checked in with multiple hits in the first game, while Landon Miller drove in two runs, and Max Molloy reached base three times in the victory. Marion's momentum carried into the nightcap as the Pats scored twice in the bottom of the first inning, five times in the fourth, and three times in the fifth to secure the sportsmanship rule. Eleven proved to be the magic number again for the Pats in game No. 2, as Miller, Bumbaugh, Parker “Buds” Nash, and Catt each came up with two hits. Bumbaugh drove in two runs and scored twice, and Catt also scored two times. Senior right-hander and Arkansas-Little Rock signee Davis York earned the victory in the second contest, working four innings, striking out three, and scattering three hits. Senior reliever Jack Carter worked a perfect fifth inning with two strikeouts to slam the door on Paragould. Kearney and Fleming led off the first ballgame with singles, and Miller delivered Kearney with a hit of his own to give Marion an early 1-0 lead. The lead hit 2-0 one batter later when York chased in Fleming with a sacrifice fly, and a Molloy single delivered Nash to give the Pats a 3-0 lead after an inning. Marion loaded the bases when Fleming, Miller, and York reached leading off the third inning, and a Molloy walk and a Catt single pushed the Pats ahead 5-0 entering the bottom of the third. Kearney doubled and scored on Fleming's single in the fourth inning, and Fleming later scored on a passed ball just before a Catt grounder allowed York to score for an 8-0 Marion advantage. Myles Holt singled leading off the fifth and scored when Kearney ripped a single. Miller capped the scoring later on when he hit a sac fly to deliver Kearney, and Bumbaugh worked a perfect bottom of the fifth to close out the victory. York worked a perfect top of the first in the second contest, but the first two Patriots went down in order in the home half of the first, but the Pats rallied up when Miller struck a ground-rule double before giving way to Holt, who entered as a courtesy runner. A York blooper brought Holt around, and Brody Byrd scored on a Catt infield hit as Marion earned a 2-0 lead after an inning. The score held until the bottom of the fourth as York allowed only two baserunners. Marion cranked the offense up again with one out when Catt reached on a bunt single, senior Carter Benton struck an infield single, and Catt scored the game's third run on a wild pitch. A Nash bunt single plated courtesy runner Hudson McKewen, Bumbaugh scored on a passed ball, and Miller delivered Fleming with a base hit and the Pats led 7-0 after four. York led off the fifth with a walk, and Catt singled with one out, and that duo moved up on a Paragould error with two away. A Bumbaugh base-hit scored York and Catt, and Bumbaugh capped the scoring five pitches later when he scored on a Nash single. WHAT'S NEXT? Marion hosts Collierville, Tennessee on Friday afternoon for a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader. The JV contest will begin at 4:30, and the varsity game at approximately 6:45. Marion hosts Crittenden County rival West Memphis on Tuesday, April 16 for a 5A East doubleheader. The Collierville and West Memphis games will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com and the MPAN mobile app. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM 4/9 Marion 10, Paragould 0 (five innings) Marion 10, Paragould 0 (five innings) Greene Co. Tech 8, Batesville 1 Greene Co. Tech 7, Batesville 0 Valley View 10, Nettleton 0 Valley View 19, Nettleton 0 Searcy at W. Memphis rescheduled 5A EAST STANDINGS ON 4/10 SCHOOL CONF. RECORD Valley View 8-0 Greene Co. Tech 8-0 Marion 6-2 Searcy 4-2 Batesville 4-4 W. Memphis 0-6 Nettleton 0-8 Paragould 0-8 Top four teams make state playoffs 5A EAST SCHEDULE ON 4/16 W. Memphis at Marion Greene Co. Tech at Valley View Searcy at Batesville Nettleton at Paragould