Robbinsville muscles its way into first-place tie
Robbinsville – Anyone who expected another slugfest between Robbinsville and Murphy on Tuesday were left disappointed.
That is, unless you’re a Lady Knights fan.
Save for the sixth, Robbinsville (7-1, 7-1) scored in every inning and pumped the brakes on Murphy’s (5-1, 5-1) undefeated campaign in the process, moving into a first-place with the Lady Bulldogs after an 11-6 win on Tuesday afternoon at Judy Nichols Memorial Field.
“We’ve addressed two things: walks from our pitchers and strikeouts by our team,” noted Lady Knights skipper Billy Knight. “I don’t get too caught up in stats, but those are stats that win ballgames. Today, Memory only walked one girl and we only struck out once.”
Things looked promising for Murphy early, as Annie Kate Dalton launched a solo homer in the top of the first. Robbinsville promptly responded with a 2-run shot by pitcher Memory Frapp in the bottom of the frame and from there, the Lady Knights were hard to get out.
Zoie Shuler doubled home courtesy runner Ally Ayers in the bottom of the second, before a Gabby Hooper single would bring Shuler across the dish. A fielding error in the bottom of the third then plated Ivy Odom and Kensley Phillips.
The Lady Bulldogs made a dent in the top of the fourth – on a solo homer from Riley Dockery – but once again, Robbinsville used the long ball in response, as Odom crushed a 2-run dinger that widened the margin to 9-2.
Aynsley Fink would later score on an error in the fifth, before Frapp picked up her third RBI on a single that drove in Shuler.
Murphy attempted a comeback in the seventh, as Jersey Schwalm doubled to begin the segment. Maddison Seabolt would promptly single to score Schwalm, before coming home herself later on a one-out Ruby Boehm hit. The Lady Bulldogs would soon load the bases and cut the deficit to five on a 2-run double from Dalton, which scored courtesy runner Maggie Allison and Grace Nelson.
But a line out and a sharp-minded play by Hooper at shortstop – getting the unassisted putout at second base – would thwart Murphy’s rally.
“I hate that last inning ended the way it did for Memory, because she pitched outstanding,” Coach Knight added. “Our defense was flawless. We’ve addressed the things we needed to and now, the destiny is back in our hands.”
Feathers plucked
Hiwassee Dam – With nine combined errors adding hiccups to the final outcome, it was Robbinsville that prevailed in a 10-5 road game at Hiwassee Dam on April 8.
As they have done most of the season, the Lady Knights (6-1, 6-1) wasted little time getting in the score column. Odom doubled home courtesy runner Brook Turpin in the top of the first, before crossing the dish on an error. Robbinsville added three more in the top of the second, when Hooper doubled home Sydney Farley and Hooper joined Shuler in a mad dash home on a fielding error at first base.
Hiwassee Dam (6-3, 6-3) manufactured its first response in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit significantly when Dezeray Adams scored on an error and Allison Stiles singled to bring Katie Gibson and Payton McNabb sprinting home. The Lady Eagles threatened again in the bottom of the fourth, but Phillips made a leaping catch in center field to close out the frame and save a pair of runs. The Lady Knights never trailed in the outing, with insurance runs coming on a sacrifice fly from Hooper in the fourth – which scored Fink – and the final damage inflicted in the fifth.
Farley hit a deep grounder that scored courtesy runner Ally Ayers, before Fink doubled home Phillips and Farley. Hooper later attained her second sacrifice RBI of the afternoon with two outs, which plated Fink. The Lady Eagles would score once more in the bottom of the sixth, when Payton Palmer and Kiera Taylor both scored on an error.