Knights fall in 2nd-ever regional appearance
Robbinsville – Even with an extra day of preparation and renewed motivation in their corner, the Lady Knights were unable to force a tiebreaker in the Western Regional Finals.
East Wilkes (No. 2, 27-3) struck for three runs in the top of the first and never trailed thereafter, as a valiant battle from Robbinsville (No. 4, 24-4) fell short in a 9-6 loss to the Lady Cardinals on Judy Nichols Memorial Field.
“We just made too many mistakes,” said Lady Knights skipper Billy Knight. “That’s just the way the game goes sometimes. Year in, year out, we’re in the conversation. We have a chance to compete for a state title every year; it’s just so hard to win it all.”
Wilkes leadoff hitter Abby Hatley scored on an error in the top of the first, before Rutgers-commit Jayden Hutchinson punctuated the opening blows by delivering a 2-run jab over the fence in left-center field. It was Hutchinson’s second homer of the series, after hitting a solo shot in the Cardinals’ Game 1 victory.
In response, Robbinsville’s Sophie Roberts unloaded her own 2-run smack in the bottom of the inning. The Knights later tied the affair 3-3 in the second, when Zoie Shuler flew out to score Liz Carpenter.
Kyleigh Lane’s own flyout in the top of the third plated Hatley to give East Wilkes the lead back, but Kali Cook was tagged out trying to sneak home in the scramble. The score held firm until the sixth, when Lane, Jaylee Bird and Hatley each roped scoring hits. Bird and Hatley’s connections both resulted in doubles; Bird’s was a 2-run hit.
Robbinsville kept duking away, wearing out the left side of the field in a flurry of hits that cut the deficit to 8-6. Presley Caylor singled in Anna Williams; Dreylee Webster dropped a hit to bring home Memory Frapp; and Carpenter roped a double to usher Caylor across the dish.
However, the Knights left the bases loaded when all was said and done.
“Nobody feels worse about the game than Suri Watty,” Knight explained. “She came up with the bases loaded, down by two. There’s nobody we want up there more than her in that situation; she has been such a clutch player for us so many times. She hit the ball; it just didn’t drop.
“To win regional games, you gotta have a little luck and you have to play really clean: mistakes kill you.”
The final run of the game was manufactured when Lane reached on an infield single in the seventh, scoring courtesy runner Marissa Gambill.
4-year stronghold
Robbinsville’s appearance in the Western Regional Finals was only the second in program history.
The team reached the round in 2019 and only played once in 2020 before COVID canceled the season.
Shuler and Frapp then bumped to the varsity ranks in 2021 and contributed strongly to an overall stretch of 76-14 (.844 winning percentage), plus extended Robbinsville’s defense of Smoky Mountain Conference crowns to seven in a row – and 16 overall since the program’s first in 1981.
A 48-2 mark in the division between 2021-24 is not too shabby, either.
“This team is just full of talented players,” Knight said. “The first SEC-caliber player – and in my opinion, the best that has ever played in this program – came off this team (Shuler). At the end of the day, they’ll be remembered as a team that was ultra-successful in high school.
“They gave themselves a chance to win a state title and that’s all anybody can ask for. This was a very hard-working team; our numbers in the fall was the highest they’ve ever been.
“The group this year was young – so if they continue to work, they’ll only get better. There were freshmen this year that didn’t even start; they will be on the field next year and have a chance to show everyone what they’ve been missing out on.
“The middle school has been impressive and I’m loving what our youth softball has been doing; it’s just a good time in our community for softball right now.”
Rocky Top-bound Shuler ends her career in a tie with Roberts for the Lady Knights record in single-season home runs (11). Shuler has also reprogrammed the Robbinsville standards for career stolen bases (117), home runs (31) and RBIs (123).
She is also the 1A-4A state record holder for most runs in a single season, crossing the plate 68 times in 2024.
“Zoie is more than one of the best softball players I’ve ever coached; she is one of the best people I’ve ever coached,” said Knight. “Her legacy will be all the little girls that come behind her, watch her on TV and dream of doing what you’re going to do. That can’t be measured. She’s the first girl (from Robbinsville softball) to sign with the SEC.
“She is an awesome young lady. I don’t know what else I could say; I love her like a daughter.”
Meanwhile, Frapp (14-2) struck out three to finish her career as Robbinsville’s all-time “strikeout queen.” She broke the previous mark this year and concludes her time as a Lady Knight with 390 to her credit.
“Memory really grew up in this program,” Knight said. “She learned how to get tough. It is what it is; if you’re going to play for me, you’re going to have to be physically and mentally tough. She is just awesome and means the world to this program; anytime she took the ball, we knew we had a chance to beat anybody.
“And she always took the ball.”
East Wilkes advanced to face Northside-Pinetown (No. 1 East seed, 21-4) in the state championship series, which is being held at Duke University.