Black Knights prevail in season debut
Candler – Robbinsville simply picked up right where it left off last season.
Though the Black Knights missed the playoff cut in 2021 – and graduated five seniors – Robbinsville (1-0) traveled to Bob Lewis Field in Candler on Friday, handing the Mountain Heritage Cougars a 5-3 loss in the neutral site showdown.
“I am very pleased with our performance,” Black Knights skipper Brent Icenhower said. “We gave up three runs in the first inning, with only one out being on an earned run. I huddled them up and said, ‘Don’t quit. Just compete.’”
Indeed, the Knights shook off the rough start by shutting down Mountain Heritage (0-2) from that point on.
The Knights would finally break through in the third, when Greylon Orr doubled to score Bryce Adams. Orr scored on a fielder’s choice in the fifth, before Alex Knight grounded out in the sixth to plate Lathan Buchanan, tying the game 3-3.
Robbinsville pulled ahead in the seventh, when Cooper Adams sprinted home on an Orr single. Orr would come home again for some more insurance on a Cole Patterson groundout, which cemented the outcome.
“I was happy with our hitting,” Icenhower said. “We only struck out five times and put the ball in play.”
Kade Garrison held Mountain Heritage in check on the hill, striking out eight Cougars in 6 1/3 innings of work. Orr earned the save, with a strikeout for good measure.
“Kade pitched a really good game,” Icenhower said. “I could say something positive about each player, but what I’m most proud of is them not laying down and grinding out a win.”
March 4, 2022
Robbinsville 001 011 2 – 5 8 3
Mountain H. 300 000 0 – 3 4 2
WP – K. Garrison (1-0). 2B – Orr. SB: B. Adams, C. Adams, Turpin. CS: Patterson. Pitch Count: K. Garrison 103, Orr 9.
Tuesday’s scheduled home game with Smoky Mountain was postponed, due to the threat of incoming weather. A make-up date had not been determined by The Graham Star’s press deadline.