Softball Recap: Murphy Gets the Win

Murphy hadn't done well against Franklin recently (they were 1-6 in their previous seven matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Bulldogs sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-4 victory over the Panthers. This was payback for the Bulldogs, who suffered a 13-9 loss the last time these two teams met.

Paisley Johnson

Batters Struck Out

04/16/25 vs Franklin	8
04/15/25 @ Andrews	12
04/04/25 @ Robbinsville	5
04/01/25 vs Robbinsville	8
03/27/25 @ Tellico Plains	11
+ 7 more games

Paisley Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Piper Dalton and Aiden Smith did most of the damage at the plate: Dalton scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Smith went a perfect 3-for-3 with one double and one RBI. Those three hits gave Smith a new career-high.

They weren't the only one making solid contact: Murphy kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Murphy is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Franklin, their record is now 13-5.

Looking ahead, Murphy will welcome Andrews at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Bulldogs are facing the Wildcats at the right time seeing as the Wildcats are stuck on an eight-game losing streak. Franklin will be paying especially close attention to Murphy's contest: after Murphy faces off against Andrews, they'll take on Franklin again at 5:00 p.m. on Monday.