A late push proved to be the difference Monday, as Robbinsville edged Murphy 2-1 in a tightly contested matchup.

The two sides were locked in a pitchers’ duel for much of the evening, with both teams struggling to string together offense early. Murphy broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning when Grace Moore drove in a run on a groundout, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

Robbinsville answered in the sixth.

Suri Watty got things started with an RBI single to center, tying the game, before Daphne Barlow followed with another base hit up the middle to bring in the go-ahead run. That brief surge would hold as the deciding moment.

Both pitchers turned in strong performances. Robbinsville’s Kynadee Spencer went the distance, allowing just four hits and one unearned run over seven innings while walking none. Murphy’s Paisley Johnson was just as steady, striking out seven and allowing two runs on six hits across a complete game effort.

At the plate, Barlow and Watty each drove in a run for Robbinsville, while Anna Williams, Ella Atwell, Khaygan Buchanan, and Dreylee Webster added hits. Murphy’s offense was paced by Moore’s RBI, with Paisley Johnson, Emma Laney, Piper Dalton, and Gracie Thrasher each recording a hit.

Murphy played clean defense behind Johnson, not committing an error, with Dalton leading the way in the field.

The two teams are set to meet again Thursday, with Robbinsville hosting the rematch.