Knights thrashing opponents in early part of season
Robbinsville – Through seven games, they have outscored their foes 85-39; ran up a team average of .393 at the plate; homered five times; and have collectively posted five triples.
And pundits were concerned that the Lady Knights might have an off year.
In the last week, Robbinsville (6-1, 3-0) has sawed through Smoky Mountain Conference opponents Murphy, 12-5; and Swain County, 9-5.
Wedged in-between was a solid 15-7 nod at Copper Basin, Tenn., on Monday.
Dogs caught napping
Murphy (1-3, 0-2) gave the Lady Knights their stoutest fight to date March 14, with Robbinsville coming out on the better end of a 16-11 final in Cherokee County.
But the Knights did not require as much time to get in a groove in the return showdown March 16, scoring in 4-run spurts across the first, second and fifth innings to clinch the season sweep of the Bulldogs.
Zoie Shuler doubled and Suri Watty singled to jumpstart the offense in the bottom of the first. Shuler later scored on an error, while Naomi Taylor picked up an RBI on a sacrifice that plated Watty moments later. Liz Carpenter joined the fun by doubling to score Memory Frapp, while courtesy runner Abby Adams found herself crossing the dish on a two-out error.
Shuler drew a one-out walk in the second, scooted around the basepath on a pair of wild pitches and sprinted home on another error soon thereafter. Frapp unloaded a 2-run homer to deep center during the next at-bat, while Kensley Phillips doubled in courtesy runner Delaney Brooms with two outs in the frame.
Comfortably ahead 8-1 at that juncture, Robbinsville’s offense paused while Murphy began a methodical rally bid.
Starting pitcher Julia Dockery had scored on a first-inning error for the Lady Bulldogs, but the visitors made things interesting when Taryn Morrow connected for a two-out, 2-run double in the fourth – which opened the door for Paisley Johnson and Aiden Smith to score.
In the sixth, Leena Lape then made a connection to drive in Ansley Hogsed and Riley Dockery doubled to summon Lape to the dish during the next at-bat.
Still leading 8-5, the Lady Knights erased all doubt of the outcome with their final offensive segment. Anna Williams tripled with one out to score Phillips and Claire Barlow, before Shuler got in on the long-ball fun with a 2-run bomb of her own moments later.
Taylor earned her first win of the season inside the circle, recording four strikeouts.
Staking tri-state claim
Copperhill, Tenn. – Shuler tripled to begin Monday’s foray across state lines, setting the tone for a 17-hit evening from Robbinsville’s bats.
Starting pitcher Watty – who went 6 2/3 innings to get the first varsity win of her career at Copper Basin – singled in Shuler, before Brooms dashed home on a dropped third strike. Phillips then blistered a two-bagger that drove in Frapp.
Much to its credit, Copper Basin (2-2) did not simply lie down. Caitlan Pack reached on an error and found her way home in the bottom of the first on a fielder’s choice. Robbinsville took the run back with two outs in the second, as Watty posted another RBI by virtue of a hit that plated Shuler. The Lady Cougars then cut the deficit in two on a solo homer from Pack in the third.
Leading 4-2 as the game entered the fifth, the Lady Knights unloaded a 5-spot on the hosts. Watty doubled home Shuler – who had drawn a leadoff walk – before Frapp launched her second-straight homer in as many games. Barlow later flew out to drive in Taylor, before Ryn Hooper recorded her first varsity RBI on a double that scored the speedy Barlow.
Copper Basin manufactured a response when Alexis Hyatt doubled to drive in Briley Harris, but Robbinsville nearly emptied its reserves while scoring six in the sixth. When the dust settled, Frapp had doubled home Shuler; Carpenter singled to drive in Frapp; Phillips issued a hit of her own, which scored Taylor; Fala Welch picked up a pinch-hit RBI, flying out to bring in Carpenter; Hooper again garnered an RBI, this time on a hit that scored Phillips; and Olivia Lewis doubled to welcome Hooper, ending the flurry.
The Lady Cougars kept the fight alive long enough to push across three runs in the home half, then managed one more whimper in the seventh.
On the ropes
Bryson City – Robbinsville struck first Tuesday, but Swain County struck back – and twice as hard.
Thus, the Lady Knights found themselves playing from behind for just the third time this season, eventually overcoming the first-inning deficit to pick up divisional win No. 3 of the year.
Robbinsville trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the third, before four runners crossed the dish in the fifth. Now reeling themselves, the Lady Devils manufactured just one more run before the final out was recorded.
Phillips – who leads the team in triples, with four – and Shuler both flew around the infield for a pair of 3-baggers in the win. Shuler, Carpenter, Watty and Frapp each doubled, as well. Both Shuler and Carpenter had three hits in the win.
Taylor improved to 2-1 on the year, again going the distance.
She mowed down two Swain County batters in the victory.