Robbinsville outlasts Murphy in heavyweight slugfest
Murphy – After Tuesday’s duel in Cherokee County, the Lady Knights Fast Pitch Softball Facebook page posted this quick update about the outcome, which might be the most apt descriptor of the proceedings:
“A-maybe-not-so-pretty-but-thankful-to-have-a-win kind of game today.”
Despite frigid temperatures on the banks of the Valley River, Robbinsville (3-1, 1-0) and Murphy (1-1, 0-1) combined for 37 runs, 34 hits, 10 errors and 24 runners left on base. In the latter two statistical anomalies, the totals were divided evenly between both the Lady Knights and Lady Bulldogs.
Robbinsville starting pitcher Memory Frapp struck out six and walked one – but surrendered nine runs (three earned), as well as 13 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. It might have been the most roundabout way to improve to 3-0 in the history of softball.
At the plate, Frapp recorded six at-bats, with four hits, three RBIs on her scoreline and doubled twice in the game. Zoie Shuler strung together four hits and doubled on three different occasions herself, while Kensley Phillips tripled for the third time in four games this year. She also collected another RBI, while Liz Carpenter smacked a two-bagger and also drove in three runs.
Starting the game at second base, Suri Watty emerged to try and stave off Murphy in the closing rounds. She logged 1 1/3 innings of work inside the circle and gave up three runs (two earned), but still performed the duty asked of her down the stretch.
Lady Bulldogs shortstop Julia Dockery had a 4-hit afternoon, crossing the dish three times. Her sibling Riley Dockery also brought two runs home on a hit.
Murphy hurler Jersey Schwalm coughed up 10 hits to Robbinsville – but also had a 9-run, 3-earned line when the book closed on her 3-inning outing.
Indeed, it was like someone loaded up a video game and entered all the cheat codes before pressing “Play.”
The two teams meet again at Judy Nichols Memorial Field. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m. and the game will be live-streamed on grahamstarsports.com if you cannot attend in person.
Extra heartbreak
Candler – Before Friday, the last time Robbinsville softball had went into extra innings was a May 13, 2017, second-round 2-1 playoff loss at Starmount.
The Lady Knights fought valiantly in a 9-inning tilt at Enka – even battling back after falling behind 2-0 to pull ahead – but could not stymie the Sugar Jets on their final out, eventually falling 6-5 in Enka’s season debut.
Robbinsville needed one trip through the line-up to crack the delivery of Jets gunslinger Abagail Brewton, who ultimately struck out seven of the first nine Knights she faced. To aid the effort, Enka (2-0) jumped ahead in the bottom of the second on a 2-out, 2-run double off the bat of Cooper Stanley. Brewton’s no-decision ended with 12 strikeouts in six innings of work.
Shuler awakened Robbinsville’s offense with a leadoff single in the fourth. She promptly stole second and soon scored on a throwing error. Taylor – the Lady Knights’ starter in the contest – later began helping her own cause in the frame, doubling home Watty. Shuler and Taylor repeated their performances in the sixth, which broke the 2-2 deadlock. Phillips would later smack a 2-out single to give Robbinsville more insurance.
The policy was not enough. Peyton Wise doubled home two Enka runs in the bottom of the fifth, which sent Frapp back to the hot corner after a rare, shaky relief appearance inside the circle. Taylor seized the reins once again and held strong, but Hayley Clontz trotted home with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra segments.
A pair of consecutive errors gave the game to Enka with one out in the ninth. Wise doubled, before Karley Presnell reached on a fielding error.
Brewton then roped a careening ball to right field, which could not be snagged cleanly – allowing Wise to jog home for the walk-off win.
Taylor struck out three in her collective, 8-inning loss.
Heavy aluminum
Cherryville – Much like it did in its season opener, Robbinsville was bitten by the infectious hitting bug in its second road game of the year.
All told, the Lady Knights collected 16 hits, two homers, a triple and four doubles in a 6-inning, 14-4 disposal of previously-unbeaten Cherryville (4-1).
Taylor became the first Robbinsville slugger to go yard this season, launching a 3-run bomb in the top of the second. She led the Knights with three hits and four RBIs in the drubbing.
Shuler unloaded a 2-run long ball of her own in the sixth, which ended up being the final nail in Cherryville’s coffin. Phillips tripled to begin the third, which gave her back-to-back games with a 3-bagger.
Robbinsville led 8-0 before Cherryville mustered a response in the home-half of the third.
Despite the 3-run inning the hosts produced, Knights ace Memory Frapp went five innings, striking out two in the affair. In the sixth, Watty fanned two in relief.