Robbinsville wallops Avery County in playoff opener
Robbinsville – Avery County became the Lady Knights’ next victim Tuesday.
That’s about all you can say about a dominant 10-0 Robbinsville win in the first round of the state playoffs, as the No. 3-seeded Lady Knights piled on from the get-go against the visiting Lady Vikings in a shortened, 5-inning victory.
“We did what we were supposed to do,” noted Lady Knights skipper Billy Knight. “All we had to do was give our best effort. We beat them and we’re moving on.”
Robbinsville (19-2) plated five runs alone in the home-half of the first. Zoie Shuler tripled to begin the frame – later scoring on a wild pitch – while Patience Frapp later singled home courtesy runner Taelyr Jackson. Ivy Odom soon crossed the dish on an error, before Ally Ayers flew out to drive in Patience. Courtesy runner Christina Jenkins scored on another error during the next at-bat.
The Lady Knights then scored four more in the second, when Jackson trotted home after Liz Carpenter was hit by a pitch; Ayers drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Odom; and both Patience and Jenkins charged home on an error.
Robbinsville put the game out of reach on a Shuler groundout in the fourth, which scored Aynsley Fink.
Inside the circle, Memory and Patience Frapp were lights out. Memory ran her season total in strikeouts to 101 – fanning four Avery County (2-14) batters in three innings of work – and if not for a two-out single from Carolina Rose in the fifth, the duo would have combined for a no-no.
The victory sets up a Friday showdown at home with familiar Smoky Mountain Conference foe Hiwassee Dam (No. 14 seed, 13-3), which defeated Rosman (No. 19, 13-8) 15-5 in the first round. Robbinsville limited the Lady Eagles to just two hits in the regular-season finale May 5, 7-1.
“I think it’s better; at least they have something that’s understandable, instead of when it was a random draw,” Knight said of the postseason-seeding process. “We do have the best 1A record in the state, but that formula does not take into account where we live. We schedule the teams that we can schedule and will play us.
“But I’m pleased with our seed. South Stanly’s the No. 1; they were in the state finals last year. We’ve got a chance to play three home games – maybe more – but Hiwassee Dam is a dangerous team. Their game is the one I have circled on the calendar each year.”