Robbinsville – Even with an extra day of preparation and renewed motivation in their corner, the Lady Knights were unable to force a tiebreaker in the Western Regional Finals.
East Wilkes (No. 2, 27-3) struck for three runs in the top of the first and never trailed thereafter, as a valiant battle from Robbinsville (No. 4, 24-4) fell short in a 9-6 loss to the Lady Cardinals on Friday at Judy Nichols Memorial Field.
Wilkes leadoff hitter Abby Hatley scored on an error in the top of the first, before Rutgers-commit Jayden Hutchinson punctuated the opening blows by delivering a 2-run jab over the fence in left-center field. It was Hutchinson’s second homer of the series, after hitting a solo shot in the Cardinals’ Game 1 victory.
In response, Robbinsville’s Sophie Roberts unloaded her own 2-run smack in the bottom of the inning. The Knights later tied the affair 3-3 in the second, when Zoie Shuler flew out to score Liz Carpenter.
Kyleigh Lane’s own flyout in the top of the third plated Hatley to give East Wilkes the lead back, but Kali Cook was tagged out trying to sneak home in the scramble. The score held firm until the sixth, when Lane, Jaylee Bird and Hatley each roped scoring hits. Bird and Hatley’s connections both resulted in doubles; Bird’s was a 2-run hit.
Robbinsville kept duking away, wearing out the left side of the field in a flurry of hits that cut the deficit to 8-6. Presley Caylor singled in Anna Williams; Dreylee Webster dropped a hit to bring home Memory Frapp; and Carpenter roped a double to usher Caylor across the dish.
However, the Knights left the bases loaded when all was said and done; the final run of the game was manufactured when Lane reached on an infield single in the seventh, scoring courtesy runner Marissa Gambill.
Robbinsville’s appearance in the Western Regional Finals was only the second in program history. Shuler ends her career in a tie with Roberts for the Lady Knights record in single-season home runs (11). Shuler has also reprogrammed the Robbinsville standards for career stolen bases (117), home runs (31) and RBIs (123).
She is also the 1A-4A state record holder for most runs in a single season, crossing the plate 68 times in 2024.
Meanwhile, Frapp (14-2) struck out three to finish her career as Robbinsville’s all-time “strikeout queen.” She broke the previous mark this year and concludes her time as a Lady Knight with 390 to her credit.
East Wilkes advances to face Northside-Pinetown (No. 1 East seed, 21-4) in the state championship series next week, which will be held at UNC-Greensboro.
Look for more in the May 30 edition of The Graham Star.