Lady Knights atop conference during predicted “off” year
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All Smoky Mountain senior Bailey Cloer (8) could do was watch as outfielders madly attempted to field a ball driven to the outer reaches by Lady Knights senior Kensley Phillips. Phillips doubled on the second-inning drive and recorded her Knights-leading fifth triple at Andrews on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Bentley Riggs/Contributing Photographer
Robbinsville – This was supposed to be the rebuilding year.
The Lady Knights graduated eight seniors (six of which started) and had just two when the season began – Kensley Phillips and Fala Welch.
Both combined for exactly one at-bat in 2022.
Sure, the core threats were still on the roster. Memory Frapp and Zoie Shuler – the respective ace of the pitching staff and a University of Tennessee-commit – were really the two veterans to come back.
Both are juniors.
Liz Carpenter was the catcher last season and improved by leaps and bounds throughout the Knights’ third-round playoff run.
She is a sophomore.
The odds were ever stacked against Robbinsville passing go and collecting $200 on the monopoly the program has chained together atop the Smoky Mountain Conference title.
The first crown was fitted in 1981; since then, the Lady Knights have won the division 14 times (including the last five in a row).
But here’s the funny thing about the supposed need to reconstruct a dynasty: not only is the foundation poured and the house dried in, but Robbinsville has posted a 12-2 mark (7-0 in the conference), following wins over Copper Basin, Smoky Mountain and Andrews this week. Its only two losses have came against 3A powerhouse Enka – and one of those was a 9-inning battle.
“Overall, we’ve been every pleased with this team,” head coach Billy Knight said with a smile, after Monday’s 9-2 trumping of Smoky Mountain. “We have to constantly remind ourselves how young we are.
“Kensley is a senior, yes, but she’s a second-year softball player. Claire (Barlow) has been around, but this is her first year starting.
“Anna’s a freshman out there, first base is brand-new and we have a freshman at second base.
“But they’ve worked really hard. I remember saying at the start of the year that we’ll have to win games a different way: we won’t score as many runs. I love being wrong.”
For the record, Robbinsville has scored 140 runs in 14 games; surrendered just 53 to the opposition; and is batting an eye-popping .376.
Late push
Coming off Spring Break, Knight easily foretold the challenge ahead.
Even though Robbinsville handled Smoky Mountain (1-13) in the March 7 season debut 14-1, a challenge awaited the Lady Knights in the rematch.
“We’re in a bit of a lull right now – but this happens every time you have a young team,” Knight explained. “They’re going to get their second wind. You have to think, a middle-school season is 14 games and that’s right where we’re at. They get a little tired – plus I’m sure their sleep schedules weren’t the greatest over Spring Break.
“But let me tell you something: if you’d have told me we would be at this point right now and could easily be undefeated … hey, talent’s talent. I don’t care what grade you’re in; when you’re producing, you’ll be put in positions to produce more.”
Shuler attempted to put the fears to sleep right off the bat, roping what looked to be a triple in the first offensive appearance for the Knights. Instead, a pair of Mustang outfielders collided. The ball rolled to the fence and despite a late scramble, Shuler touched them all.
An inside-the-park home run to begin Robbinsville’s time at the plate.
Shuler later singled home Phillips in the bottom of the second, after the latter had doubled her way aboard – but aside from the duo’s efforts, runs were hard to come by in the early going.
Seizing the moment, Smoky Mountain lanced the Knights’ lead down to 2-1 in the third, when Abby Branning doubled to score Katelyn Marr. Branning’s two-out, infield single in the fourth – which brought Mustangs starter Sienna Wanetah sprinting home – tied the game up.
Knight could be heard firing Robbinsville up in-between segments.
The Lady Knights listened.
Phillips was plunked by a pitch in the home-half of the fourth and later scored on a wild pitch. Barlow recorded a one-out hit and soon found her way back into the dugout after Anna Williams connected for a scoring hit. After drawing a walk, Shuler plated the fifth Robbinsville run on an error; before Suri Watty grounded out to bring in Williams.
Comfortably ahead 6-2 at that juncture, the Knights manufactured some insurance in the fifth. Naomi Taylor led off the frame with a hit and soon dashed home on a Phillips hit. Phillips and Barlow later rounded out the scorebook by navigating their way to the plate on a fielding error.
All the while, Frapp improved to 8-0, striking out 11 Mustangs in five innings of work. Watty ran out the clock from there, fanning two Smoky Mountain hopefuls.
College blues
Young Harris, Ga. – Most of the Robbinsville faithful probably expected another lopsided affair when the Lady Knights had the opportunity to play at the Young Harris (Ga.) College Softball Complex on April 12.
After all, the Lady Knights delivered a 16-5 win to Copper Basin (10-6) on the Cougars’ home field March 20.
Robbinsville did prevail 3-1 in the return game, but did it on just four hits. Williams accounted for half the postings – including an RBI single in the bottom of the first, which drove in Shuler. The freshman outfielder later scored on a passed ball.
Copper Basin made the game tense in the fifth, when Briley Harris grounded out for the greater good – a run, in the form of Riley Akens.
But Knight had lifted Taylor from her start after just three innings logged and sent Frapp into the circle. What followed was perhaps Frapp’s strongest relief showing in her career: five strikeouts across four innings.
The Lady Cougars never had a chance. Robbinsville added one bit of breathing room in the sixth, when Carpenter flew out to score Williams.
Back to conference
Andrews – Tuesday saw Robbinsville get back into divisional competition, with a short trip to Andrews to face the Lady Wildcats.
The game served as the proverbial “cherry on top of the sundae” from a strong week, with the Knights hitting for the team cycle in a 5-inning, 12-0 routing of Andrews (1-11, 0-9).
Shuler homered for the second-straight game, with Tuesday’s 2-run dinger clearing the Valley River Park fence in the top of the third. Shuler was a triple shy of the cycle, but Phillips roped a 3-bagger in the second: her team-best fifth of the season.
Carpenter doubled in the affair, with Williams swiping two bases and Barlow stealing one.
Frapp pushed her season record to 9-0, as she struck out six Lady Cats in a complete-game effort. She has now fanned 55 batters this year and boasts a 1.96 ERA. The only hit she gave up was a double by Andrews starting pitcher Summer Garrett in the bottom of the third.
The Lady Wildcats return the favor by visiting Robbinsville for a 4:30 p.m. appointment Friday, before A.C. Reynolds (8-4) comes to Graham County for a special 2 p.m. game Saturday.
Next week will be stressful for the Knights. The conference is up for grabs when Robbinsville enters a home/away slate against Hiwassee Dam (7-4, 5-0), scheduled for Tuesday and Friday, April 28. The series will be split by a make-up game at A.C. Reynolds, to be played after Wednesday’s press deadline.
“It’s a big week,” Knight astutely observed. “Hiwassee Dam still has some tough games to play, but I anticipate it coming down to us and them. (Olivia) McNabb can pitch and if we don’t put the ball in play, then she could be tough on us. I think we’re better than they are, but they can definitely beat us. They’re the most dangerous team on our schedule, in the conference.”
If you cannot attend in-person, games are live-streamed through grahamstarsports.com. Passes are just $3.99; and a portion of the proceeds from all sales go back to the Lady Knights’ softball program.