Lady Knights clinch fifth consecutive title
Hiwassee Dam – If you are keeping track at home, that’s one goal down and two to go.
The Robbinsville Lady Knights confirmed their dominance over the Smoky Mountain Conference on Monday, adding the program’s fifth-straight divisional title with a 7-3 win at Hiwassee Dam.
“Winning this championship is really special to me and the seven other seniors,” team captain Ivy Odom said. “It really proves that all of our hard work has paid off over the years.
“We set the bar high our freshman year and had great examples to see what good softball looked like every single day. This group of seniors has been together since rec league; we’re not just teammates, we are sisters and while playing the game, that shows.”
Monday’s affair was heavily hyped – a Hiwassee Dam victory would have forced the decisive title game to take place today, on Robbinsville’s senior night – but the Lady Knights carried their familiar swagger onto the field and did what they do: strike at the first opportunity.
Memory Frapp doubled home Zoie Shuler with no outs in the first, before Odom flew out to drive in Brook Turpin.
Robbinsville (17-2, 11-0) added to its lead in the third – when Memory picked up another RBI on a flyout, which plated Shuler again – before the Knights rounded out their offense with a four-spot in the fourth, as Turpin singled home Halee Anderson and Memory cleared the base-path with a three-run triple, scoring Ally Ayers, Shuler and Turpin.
“Basically our whole starting lineup are seniors (save for Shuler, Memory and catcher Liz Carpenter) – but with that being said, the people on the bench are just as good and make us earn our positions every day,” Odom said. “I honestly believe that the underclassmen could step in and play the game just as good.
“The senior class is really big on trying to make this season the best, because we know that it’s our last. As we come to the end of our regular-season games, it’s obvious that this team has just been clicking. I’m very thankful to be a part of this team, and I’m very excited to see how far we can go in the playoffs.”
Hiwassee Dam (12-2, 9-2) finally ended the shutout in the sixth, when Sky Taylor doubled home Olivia McNabb and Lauren Brooks.
The Eagles plated their final run on an Olivia McNabb sacrifice groundout in the seventh, which scored Payton Palmer.
Memory improved to 11-2 on the year, striking out seven Lady Eagles.
Peppering the field
Andrews – A collective 20-hit afternoon spurned another 14-run performance against Andrews, as Robbinsville traveled to Valley River Park and handed the Lady Wildcats a 14-4 loss.
The Lady Knights had five hits alone in the top of the first, as four Robbinsville runs crossed the plate on RBI singles from Shuler and Carpenter. Shuler and courtesy runner Abby Adams both scored on a respective wild pitch and error.
Andrews (1-14, 1-9) responded with an RBI hit of its own in the bottom of the first – Bailey Brown driving in pitcher Summer Garrett – but the Knights picked up three more in the second, including a 2-base score from Shuler and RBI singles from Turpin and Odom. The Wildcats found their second run on an error in the home-half of the frame – which plated Brooke Phillips – but Robbinsville continued to pile on the offense with more RBI singles from Turpin and Shuler in the third, before Carpenter unleashed her first career home run to begin the fourth.
The Lady Knights have unloaded 22 home runs as a unit this season.
Americas Lequire scored the third Wildcats run in the sixth, but Robbinsville strung together five more hits in the seventh and etched four more runs as a result, highlighted by a Shuler triple.
Andrews’ final attempt occurred when Emily Mealer charged home on a wild pitch.
Mustangs tamed
Webster – It started out as a back-and-forth slugfest, but then Robbinsville’s bats did what they do: they got hot.
Down 2-1 entering the second inning, the Lady Knights went on a tear of 14 hits and 10 runs, taming the Smoky Mountain Lady Mustangs 11-6 on April 20.
“It’s our practices,” Shuler said after the game, in which she hit for the cycle, capped by a solo homer to lead off the sixth.
“We hit maybe 350 balls at practice, plus we have a new pitching machine, and it’s cranked up so we can see speed and if it’s a slow pitcher (the team is preparing for), it is turned down so we can keep our timing right.
“We’re all feeling good. Things are clicking at the same time, and our dugout is really helping us win games. They’re so energetic.”
In addition to Shuler’s monster afternoon, Memory Frapp recorded five RBI between a double and a pair of two-run homers.
Robbinsville’s first run came when Odom flew out to drive in Shuler.
After a shaky first inning – which featured Mustangs senior doubling home Riya Patel, as well as Kennedy Stewman charging home on a passed ball – senior Patience Frapp (6-0) settled down inside the circle and turned in a complete-game effort. Though Hopkins and Bailey Cloer hit respective two-run and solo homers across the fifth and sixth innings, Frapp knew her defense was keen enough to help limit the peppering.
She finished the game with four strikeouts, while Smoky Mountain (10-8) stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh.
“We have a lot of different combinations that makes everything click,” Patience said. “I don’t pitch a lot, but when I do, I know the defense is going to be able to get the ball.”
The Lady Knights host Hiwassee Dam for senior night at 4:30 p.m. today.