Cherokee – Less than 24 hours removed from a tough loss, Robbinsville did what it does best: the Knights shook off the effects of the defeat.
It just so happened that Robbinsville (8-2, 5-0) had a short road trip to Cherokee (5-4, 2-4) on the books Friday. In the wake of a hard-fought, 8-2 win over the Lady Braves on March 28, both teams liked their chances win.
But the alpha females quickly made their presence known, piling seven runs onto the Lady Braves in the top of the first to take a commanding 7-0 lead, which evolved into a 12-1, 5-inning final.
Just a home run short of the cycle, Zoie Shuler kept the Cherokee defense guessing from the first pitch. Shuler doubled, tripled and even swiped a base. She finished with a whopping five RBIs and ran her average up, to .649.
Naomi Taylor, Liz Carpenter and Taelyr Jackson all doubled in the game, with Carpenter accounting for three of Robbinsville’s 14 hits in the win.
Memory Frapp improved to 5-0 in her fifth nod to pitch, striking out seven Lady Braves and surrendering just two runs. Cherokee’s only response came in the bottom of the first, when Aaliyah Reed grounded out to score Julia Marie Layno.
The solid performance provides Robbinsville with a level of swagger, as the Knights visit two college facilities for their next two games: a Monday trek to Western Carolina University – where the Lady Knights “host” A.C. Reynolds (6-3) – will be followed by a Wednesday trip to Young Harris (Ga.) College, where Robbinsville plays host to Copper Basin, Tenn. in the ultimate tri-state affair.
Revenge denied
Robbinsville – After taking Enka to its very limit during the two programs’ first meeting March 10 – the Sugar Jets emerged with a hard-fought 6-5 nod, which took nine innings to obtain – the Lady Knights were understandably optimistic about their chances at splitting the season series with the 3A powerhouse during March 30’s return pairing.
But everything that could have possibly worked against Robbinsville did – and effectively.
Coupled with Enka ace Abagail Brewton shaking off a rough start to the game, an unsightly, unusual seven errors allowed half of the opposition’s runs to cross the plate unearned. Brewton blew 11 strikeouts by the normally-potent bats of the Knights and Enka handed Robbinsville an 8-0 loss on Judy Nichols Memorial Field.
The Jets produced their first run from the get-go, playing small ball with leadoff hitter Gracie Merrell smacking a single; Averi Coggins moving her into scoring position with a groundout; and a one-out double later coming thanks to Peyton Wise.
Robbinsville had Brewton on the ropes during its first chance at the plate. Watty, Frapp and Carpenter each singled in succession with one out and Enka’s infield scrambled to the circle to chat about the proceedings with Brewton.
Whatever the infield workers said must have been effective, because the hurler turned in back-to-back strikeouts to escape the jam and only gave up four more hits the remainder of the game.
In fact, the Knights were unable to send more than four batters to the dish in any inning after the first. Williams connected for a one-out double in the fifth – the only extra-base hit for Robbinsville on the day – but could not bring her home to erase the goose egg.
Ranked No. 2 in the 3A classification, Enka (8-0) methodically spread the remainder of its offensive production across the evening. Coggins made it to second on a one-out single – and subsequent error – in the third, before dashing home on a Rylee Locklear double moments later. Coggins tripled with one down in the fifth and later plated another Sugar Jets strike on a two-out, two-run single from Karly Presnell, which also drove in Locklear.
Enka’s biggest serving came in the sixth, when a one-out error and Kelsie West double soon gave way to Merrell driving in Emma Payne on a single; West scoring on an error; and Coggins doubling home Merrell. The final pepper was applied in the seventh, when Presnell singled to begin the inning and later scored on a two-out Payne connection.
Prior to the loss, Robbinsville had not been shut out since May 5, 2021: a first-round, 3-0 playoff defeat at the hands of the visiting South Stokes Lady Sauras.
Monday’s trip to Mars Hill University – to face the Madison Patriots – was postponed until 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 5.
The Graham Star learned Tuesday morning that the Lady Knights will host Swain County (7-4, 2-2) in a make-up conference game at 4:30 p.m. today.
If you cannot make it in-person, the showdown will be live-streamed on grahamstarsports.com.