Robbinsville – Entering the top of the fourth, it seemed the Black Knights had things well in hand.
Though Robbinsville (0-5, 0-2) had only produced one run to that point – when Quinn Jumper was singled home by Bryc Garrison in the second – Ethan Orr and the Knights had shut out the Stilwell (Okla.) Indians through three innings of March 15’s home opener. Stilwell had traveled to Western Carolina University in Cullowhee to play Cherokee in a “Battle of the Nations” two days prior.
But as fate has rendered all year, the opposition woke up. All told, Stilwell (2-2) crossed the plate 16 times in the top of the fourth – matching their offensive output from a shutout of the Braves on March 13 – and strung together 12 hits. It was all the momentum the Indians needed to put away Robbinsville 16-5.
Nothing could go right for the Knights in the top of the fourth, but the scrappy club kept battling. Bryce Adams hit a tape-measure homer to straightaway center to begin the home-half of the frame – his first varsity long ball – while Caleb Turpin connected later in the segment to drive in Garrison. Graylen Orr found his way home by way of a fielder’s choice groundout from Lathan Buchanan during the next at-bat. Buchanan later scored with two outs on a dropped third strike.
Errant showing
Bryson City – Plagued by fielding miscues throughout Tuesday’s return to Smoky Mountain Conference action, Robbinsville dropped a 12-3 road trip to Swain County (2-5, 2-1).
Graylen Orr scored on a Turpin groundout in the first, before the Maroon Devils rattled off 10 unanswered runs between the second and sixth. Robbinsville mustered two more in the top of the sixth to keep the game alive – when Alex Knight singled to drive in Turpin and Jumper – but Swain County promptly took the pair back in the home half.
Graylen Orr had a 3-hit evening, including a double.