Murphy extended their losing streak to three on Friday, dropping them down to 1-3. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 14-12 heartbreaker at the hands of the Swain County Maroon Devils. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Bulldogs have suffered since April 21, 2025.
Piper Dalton and Emma Hensley stepped up to the plate in a big way. Dalton went 3-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI, while Hensley went 3-for-5 with four RBI and two doubles. That triple marked the first that Dalton has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Grace Moore, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
As for Swain County, the victory keeps them at an undefeated 4-0. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for they considering their two-run performance the matchup before.
On Swain County's side, Aria Toineeta made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Toineeta was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
In other batting news, Madison Bird was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Molly Woodard, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Murphy will venture away from home to take on Hiwassee Dam at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Swain County, they will head out to face off against Smoky Mountain at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
