Robbinsville hoping to end season with .500 record
Robbinsville – Simply put, the Knights had a field day when Copper Basin came to town April 23.
The Cougars regretted letting their paws touch Loudon Orr Memorial Field from the first at-bat Robbinsville had, with the Black Knights peppering 16 runs across six innings to send the visitors back to Polk County, Tenn., with a 16-6 loss.
Robbinsville (8-9) spread out four runs across the first, second and third innings; with two more hitting the scoreboard in the fifth and the sixth. Both Luke Lovin and Rylen Orr doubled in the game, with the former driving in four RBIs. Peyton Brooks, Evan Menard and Orr each collected three RBIs, while Benton Gibby made life miserable on Cougars backstop Cameron Howard by stealing six bases.
Also committing acts of thievery were Lovin, Menard and Xamuel Wachacha (two each); as well as Ayden Conley and Zander Davis.
Brooks picked up the win, improving to 1-1 by going four innings on the hill. He struck out seven Copper Basin (2-16) hopefuls and only surrendered three hits.
Wachacha finished off the game by pitching two innings of relief, fanning three batters.
League struggles
The Black Knights struggled in Smoky Mountain Conference action, dropping games to 2A opponents Swain County on Friday and Murphy on Monday.
Hosting the Maroon Devils, Robbinsville fell 10-2. Orr had a double, two hits and an RBI, while Brooks and Lovin both reached on hits as well.
Swain County (7-9, 7-5) leapt ahead 3-0 before Robbinsville generated its first response and put the game out of reach with a six-run seventh. Lovin took the loss, dropping to 3-1 despite striking out eight Maroon Devils in defeat.
Monday took the Knights to Murphy (8-11, 7-6), where the 2A Bulldogs shutout Robbinsville (6-7 in divisional play), 10-0.
Lovin, Menard and Everett Taylor recorded hits for the Black Knights, while Conley had a stolen base. Orr got the nod on the hill and fell to 3-5 on the year, striking out two Bulldogs in four innings of work.
Robbinsville will host Murphy for Senior Night at 4:30 p.m., today.