Phillips’ walk-off secures Knights’ 2nd divisional win
Robbinsville – It was a wild win, but a victory nonetheless.
Returning home to host Andrews in a pivotal Smoky Mountain Conference game Monday, Robbinsville blew a seventh-inning lead, but rallied to keep its playoff hopes alive by defeating the Wildcats 6-5 in eight innings.
“I’m just tickled; they didn’t give up when they tied it,” Robbinsville skipper Brent Icenhower said. “I asked the kids who wanted it more and we showed we wanted it more.”
The triumph was clinched by sophomore Christian Phillips, who roped a one-out single in the bottom of the eighth to score Bryc Garrison. It was welcome redemption, as the Black Knights squandered a 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh, when Isaac Weaver scored on an error by Phillips and Evan Neal grounded out to plate the tying run, Donovan Bateman.
Robbinsville (5-9, 2-6) got its offense rolling with a two-out single from Kade Garrison in the bottom of the first, which brought Phillips across the dish. Three more Knights runs found their way on the scoreboard in the second – Carson White singled to score Cole Patterson, while both courtesy runner Cooper Adams and Ethan Orr charged home on separate errors.
Andrews’ (0-9, 0-10) first run crossed the plate in the third, on a two-out double from Colton Rose that drove in Weaver.
The Knights extended their lead on a Weaver balk in the fifth – which allowed Lathan Buchanan to trot home – but the Cats got two more back in the sixth, when Colton Rose scored on an error and Cameron Rattler sprinted home on a wild pitch.
“Everybody out there had a good game,” Icenhower added. “We still made more errors than I like, but errors take place in baseball. My right fielder (Caleb Turpin) made some excellent plays, and that have been what sealed the deal.”
As it stands, Robbinsville is still projected for its first playoff appearance in over a decade, but has four more conference games on tap: a make-up game at Cherokee took place after press time, before the Knights traveled to Andrews to return the favor Friday and Hiwassee Dam on Tuesday.
The regular season then ends next Thursday, May 5, at home against the Eagles.
Season sweep
Copperhill, Tenn. – Needless to say, the Robbinsville Black Knights have Copper Basin’s number.
After knocking off the Cougars 15-5 during spring break, the Knights traveled to Copperhill on Friday and smashed the hosts by the same margin.
The game was rather close until the sixth. Robbinsville carried a 4-1 lead into the frame – but after the wheels fell off, 11 Knights runs had crossed the plate. A 3-run error by the Cougars jumpstarted the fun, which brought Ethan Orr, Alex Knight and Bryc Garrison home. Cole Patterson soon scored on a passed ball, before Kade Garrison singled to drive in Graylen Orr.
Christian Phillips later scored on a out-out error, then Knight dropped a ball into center field to bring Lathan Buchanan home. Ethan Orr and Bryc Garrison both eventually trotted home on separate two-out, bases-loaded walks, which were wrapped around a Phillips hit that drove in Knight. Copper Basin tried to keep the game alive with a four-run reply, but the rally was cut short when Graylen Orr struck out Elijah Smith.
Kade Garrison picked up the win for Robbinsville, fanning six Cougars in 4 ⅓ innings of work.
Georgia loss
Hiawassee, Ga. – Amid schedule changes, Robbinsville picked up a road game at Towns County, Ga. (11-12).
But the Knights’ trip first trip of the week across state lines proved to be rocky, as the hosting Indians posted nine runs in the bottom of the first and eventually hand Robbinsville a four-inning, 17-2 loss on April 20.
Six errors proved costly for the Knights, with Robbinsville only generating a response in the third, when Phillips singled to score Graylen Orr and Bryc Garrison swiped home.