Robbinsville – The Lady Knights ran into a Division I-committed pitcher and a potent Union Academy offense in the third round of the state playoffs Wednesday, as Gracie Hollingsworth both homered and struck out 11 Robbinsville batters in a 10-1 loss on Judy Nichols Memorial Field.
Robbinsville (No. 3, 1A West seed) ends the year 19-5, after winning its sixth-straight Smoky Mountain Conference title in a row (and the program's 15th overall).
"This team was so much fun," skipper Billy Knight said. "It was easy; there was no drama. They came to work every day; they did exactly what we asked them to do. They love to win and hate to lose; they're exactly what we're after.
"When you just like to compete, you will be successful beyond this ball field. I truly enjoyed every day with this group of girls."
The Knights' lone run was manufactured in the bottom of the first. University of Tennessee-commit Zoie Shuler was hit by a pitch to begin Robbinsville's first offensive chance and later scored on a groundout from Anna Williams.
Hollingsworth had gone yard over the left-field fence with two outs in the top of the frame and Union Academy continued to slowly pull away from there, including a 2-out triple from Addison Laney in the second; an RBI single off the bat of Shelby Brooks in the third; a wild fifth inning that includes five runs on four hits (including a Keira Farmer 3-bagger and a 2-run double, courtesy of Hollingsworth); and Farmer scoring on a wild pitch in the sixth.
Robbinsville was not struck out until the second, when Hollingsworth settled in and fanned the side. The Knights only had two hits in the game: a pair of leadoff singles in the bottom of both the third (senior Fala Welch) and fourth (freshman Suri Watty) innings.
Lady Knights ace Memory Frapp finished the year 13-3 and had 108 strikeouts on the campaign; Hollingsworth – who has signed with the University of Evansville – currently sits at 236 punchouts this year.
"That girl is good," Knight astutely observed. "Kudos to her; she made pitches and we're just not ready to compete against a kid like her. That's the truth. We've got some girls that are, but as a team – with our youth and inexperience – that's a mismatch for us."
Union Academy (22-4) defeated Uwharrie Charter Academy (No. 15, 15-9) in the fourth round Friday, 12-2. The Lady Cardinals are set to face South Stokes (No. 1, 24-1) in the Best-of-3 Western Regional Finals this week.