Softball Recap: Franklin Makes It Four in a Row on the Road

Franklin barely beat Smoky Mountain the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. Franklin's pitcher stepped up to hand Smoky Mountain a 10-0 shutout on Monday. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now won five in a row.

Suzanna Cabe made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Furthermore, she didn't allow a single hit, the first time she has blanked an opponent since back in February. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in February.

Ashlynn McConnell

Hits (Career)

03/24/25 @ Smoky Mountain	3
03/19/25 vs Hiwassee Dam	2
03/19/25 vs Hiwassee Dam	2
03/14/25 vs Pisgah	2
03/01/25 vs McDowell	2

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ashlynn McConnell, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Layla Maloy, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.

Franklin was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .379. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Smoky Mountain only posted a batting average of .000.

Franklin's win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-3. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Smoky Mountain, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 2-10.

Coming up, Franklin will head out on the road to square off against Brevard at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Smoky Mountain, they will welcome Enka at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.