Robbinsville – Even though March 23’s home appointment with Swain County was rained out, it seems that no one – beyond Mother Nature – can dampen the Lady Knights.
In the first of this week’s two-game series against Cherokee, Robbinsville (7-1, 4-0) overcame a 2-0 deficit to score eight unanswered runs. Memory Frapp held the Lady Braves at-bay inside the circle and the Lady Knights collected an 8-2 victory at Judy Nichols Memorial Field.
Frapp aided her cause with a 3-RBI afternoon, which included two doubles. Zoie Shuler – who is batting an unbelievable .667 this year – posted two hits and drove in a run, while Suri Watty also recorded an extra-base hit.
While toeing the rubber, Frapp struck out five Cherokee (5-3, 2-3) batters, issued exactly zero walks and improved to 4-0 on the year. Her ERA currently hovers at 2.82.
Cherokee gunslinger Paytyn Barker jumpstarted the Lady Braves’ temporary advantage in the first, putting the ball in play and forcing a Robbinsville error that brought Aaliyah Reed home. Elise Stamper dropped a second-inning bunt that resulted in another error, this time opening the way for Mahala Allison to score.
Shuler got Robbinsville on the board in the bottom of the third, smacking a hit to drive in Anna Williams. Frapp’s first double soon followed – which plated Shuler and Watty – before courtesy runner Ryn Hooper came home on a fielding error later in the frame.
The other Frapp double came in the fifth, which drove in Watty.
The Lady Knights put the finishing touches on the game in the sixth, when Claire Barlow grounded out to score Liz Carpenter; Fala Welch made a pinch-hit appearance and drove in Barlow with a hit; and pinch runner Olivia Lewis hit the plate on an error.
Revenge will be lingering on Robbinsville’s mind today, as Enka (6-0) pays a visit to Graham County. The Sugar Jets are the only program to knock off the Knights this year; a 6-5, 9-inning win March 10.