Robbinsville – Even with 20 combined runs in their last two games, the Black Knights are still on a quest for win No. 1 this season.
Tenacity has been on full display for Robbinsville (0-5) in its latest action, which saw the Knights fall 10-9 in extra innings Monday against Rosman; and lose a wild 17-11 war with Copper Basin on Tuesday.
Down 6-1 after two innings, the Black Knights rallied back with a five-run bottom of the fifth. Benton Gibby roped a based-loaded single to score Peyton Brooks, but Quinn Jumper cleared the basepath by launching a grand slam to straightaway center.
Rosman (3-5) sliced its way back into a 9-9 stalemate in the sixth, ultimately forcing free baseball for those at Loudon Orr Memorial Field. The visiting Tigers then clinched the season series in the eighth, when Graham Connor drew a bases-loaded walk that allowed Bradley Queen to jog home. Queen took the hill in the bottom of the frame to record the ultra-rare, high-school save.
In addition to Jumper's monster homer, Easton Shuler doubled twice. Joining him in recording an extra-base hit was Bryce Adams, Luke Lovin and Rylen Orr. Adams swiped three bases, while Tanner Hedden, Jumper, Lovin and Shuler also got in on the fun.
Orr was credited with the loss, but the trio of starter Lovin – plus Shuler and Orr – combined to strike out 11 Rosman batters.
Robbinsville quickly found itself having to battle from underneath Tuesday, as well. Copper Basin (1-3) plated three runs in the top of the first, but the Knights snatched each of the dings back in the bottom of the inning.
The Cougars replied with a six-run second, leaving Robbinsville with the burden of chipping away at the deficit once again. Lovin tripled home Jumper to begin the home half of the inning, while Orr later drove home Lovin on a single.
Brooks followed with a groundout to score courtesy runner Ayden Conley, but the comeback bid was cut short.
The Knights managed to trim things down to 10-9, before Copper Basin poured on seven more to put the game out-of-reach.