Lady Knights tearing through opposition
Robbinsville – It may be too early for such a bold question, but it is worth considering: who is going to stop the Robbinsville Lady Knights?
Winners of their last four, Robbinsville (4-1, 2-0) swiftly disposed of Murphy (3-1, 2-1) at Judy Nichols Memorial Field on Tuesday, piling on from the get-go in a 5-inning, 12-1 victory.
Robbinsville skipper Billy Knight is thrilled with the team chemistry displayed thus far and even noted that a recent indoor practice – forced by rain – brought the Lady Knights even closer.
“Yesterday’s practice is the best practice we’ve had all year,” Knight said after Tuesday’s win. “You look for those days and moments. We did some things in a practice the other day where we had something called ‘affirmation’ bags. Every girl designs their own bag and then the other players writes a note card, affirming how that girl can help us win softball games. Not just the girl that gets the bag, but when you write something good – or do something good for other people – you feel good about yourself.
“It’s one of those little things that we do that could make a huge difference.”
Murphy starting pitcher Julia Dockery accounted for two of just three Lady Bulldogs’ hits in the game, plus the team’s lone run: a groundout by her older sister Riley in the top of the first.
Undeterred, Robbinsville got right to work generating a response. Patience Frapp roped a 2-run double in the bottom of the first, while Sarah Gibby drove in Halee Anderson on a single in the second. The Lady Knights continued to fill up the basepath thereafter, until Zoie Shuler cleared the infield with a 3-run homer later in the frame.
Refusing to let up, Robbinsville dropped six more on the board in the third.
Memory Frapp doubled to begin the segment, before courtesy runner Taelyr Jackson trotted home when Gibby drew a bases-loaded walk. Aynsley Fink then singled to drive in Ally Ayers and Anderson.
Gibby came home on an error, before Ivy Odom connected to score Fink and Shuler.
From there, Lady Knights’ hurler Memory Frapp held Murphy to a scant one hit, as she earned her third win of the season with seven strikeouts and no walks on the afternoon.
“Memory has delivered every game,” Knight noted. “That inning at A.C. Reynolds was out of her hands. She has been a very consistent pitcher for us since she was a freshman.
“She’s a competitor and has came a long way with her mental toughness.”