Lady Knights lasso Lassies; cruise in conference debut
Black Mountain – Entering March 12's home game with Robbinsville, the Owen War Lassies boasted an unblemished record.
Throughout the course of the 7-inning battle, the Lady Knights delivered a series of strategic blows that led to a devastating blow: a 6-1 triumph for Robbinsville over the 2A hosts.
The Knights manufactured their first strike almost immediately. Anna Williams reached on a one-out, infield single in the top of the first and later scored on a two-out double off the bat of Presley Caylor. Owen (4-1) knotted the game back up in the bottom of the frame when Elly Wright scored on a wild pitch.
Robbinsville (4-2) pulled back ahead in the second when Daphne Barlow crossed first base on an infield hit that scored courtesy runner Khaygen Buchanan. Suri Watty later grounded out in the segment to plate Barlow with two outs.
Sophie Roberts flew out to left field and drove home Williams early in the third, before Watty collected another RBI on a two-out hit in the fourth to score pinch runner Lexie Williams.
The final bit of insurance came in the sixth, when Roberts singled to bring in pinch runner Sydney Adams.
Naomi Taylor (2-2) went the distance inside the circle for the Lady Knights, striking out six War Lassies in the victory.
Sugar Jet sweep
Candler – In a rematch from a 1-0 pitching duel March 7, Robbinsville traveled to Enka on Monday – with hopes of splitting the season series.
Though the Knights managed to make more of an impact against freshman gunslinger Savannah Frisbee, the Sugar Jets' ace still fanned 10 – and received more run support – to lift Enka past Robbinsville 6-1.
The Jets made the initial contact to the scoreboard, as Gracie Merrill dashed home on a wild pitch and Emma Payne raced in on an error in the bottom of the first. Averi Coggins later doubled to score Frisbee with two down in the third.
Robbinsville's lone run came in the fourth, when Dreylee Webster drove a one-out double into the left-field corner to score Roberts. Merrill produced a two-run single to reply in the home half, which brought courtesy runner Samantha Reese and Coggins across the plate.
Enka (8-1) tacked on its last run in the sixth, when Coggins doubled to score Kerigan Phillips.
Taylor struck out five in 4 ⅓ innings of work; Caylor stepped in for relief duty and went 1 ⅔ innings, fanning one.
The Lady Knights stranded seven baserunners in the loss.
Division statement
Andrews – Robbinsville opened conference play Tuesday, giving some of its depth chart a full game of action in a 14-3 road thumping of Andrews at Valley River Park.
When the dust settled, both Loxley Burke and Caylor had tripled; while Payton Odom and Zeyli Williams each doubled. Odom collected three RBIs, while Caylor, Lexie Williams and Zeyli Williams recorded two apiece. Buchanan stole three bases, as did Anna Williams.
Caylor (2-0) was credited with the win, lasting five innings and striking out eight Lady Wildcats. Logging an inning of work each to close out the game was Kynadee Spencer (one strikeout) and Watty (three strikeouts).