Asheboro -- The Lady Knights are still dancin'.
Bolstered by a pair of home runs from Zoie Shuler and Sophie Roberts, Robbinsville (No. 4 seed, 24-2) upended the No. 1-seeded Uwharrie Charter Academy Lady Eagles (20-4-1) in a 4-3 triumph Friday.
Shuler's long ball came on the first pitch issued by Uwharrie senior Mollie Bulla; an opposite-field, no-doubter that sent the Graham County faithful on-hand into a frenzy. Shuler later came home in the fifth on a Suri Watty groundout, before coming across the plate just ahead of Sophie Roberts in the seventh -- after the latter sent a ball to the centerfield fence and popped over the barrier after being nabbed at by Ansley Wright.
Roberts' home run was her 10th of the season, while Shuler went yard for the 11th time this year -- giving the senior, University of Tennessee-commit sole possession of the program record for most homers in a single season. Her three trips across the dish also extended her state record for runs scored in a year to 67.
Inside the circle, senior Memory Frapp kept the hosts in-check for 6 1/3 innings, exiting after Uwharrie finally made its way onto the board following a two-run triple off the bat of Jaylin Hurley, which drove home Gracie Smith and Ansley Wright. Naomi Taylor was then called on to finish the task for Robbinsville and Hurley came home moments later on a Kenzie Hill groundout. The Lady Knights punched their ticket to the Western Regional finals during the next at-bat, when Aubrey Kauffman grounded out.
Bulla (14-1) struck out 11 in the game; her career ends with 371 punchouts -- including 231 this season alone.
Meanwhile, Frapp (14-0) fanned three to run her career strikeout mark to 386.
The Lady Knights will begin the regional final series Tuesday at East Wilkes (No. 2, 25-3). A live-stream of the game is tentatively scheduled to be hosted through grahamstarsports.com.