SHELBYVILLE, IL. — The obstacle the Lady Ram softball team has had to hurdle in recent years was cleared on Tuesday in a hostile environment. Shelbyville knocked off Mattoon in Mattoon in 9 innings, 4-3.

Ram freshman ace Grace Moll went the distance and avoided a 3-2 loss when Cinnae Martin launched a home run in the 7th inning to tie the game.

Kaylee Agney then drove in Shannon Boone, who had doubled to lead off the top of the 9th, for the go-ahead run and the eventual win, 4-3.

A few years ago, when the Shelbyville Lady Lakers traveling team started, they knocked off the Mattoon Pride, an area gold standard in girls softball. The Shelbyville girls knew then they were in the ball park to contend with Mattoon as they got older.

However, Mattoon still remained an obstacle in junior high and high school. This year, with the cultivation of the  Lady Lakers and the Shelby Synergy coming to fruition, it was time for the true test. They passed.

Grace Moll and the Mattoon starter, Starwalt, took control of the game from the start from the mound. Moll had four strikeuts in three scoreless innings. putting the Waves down in order every inning.

Starwalt had five Ks and had given up one hit in three innings to Kaylee Agney, a down payment from Agney (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs) that would pay big dividends more than once.

The Ram drew blood first in the 4th. With one out, Shannon Boone reached on an error by the 1st baseman. With two outs, Agney took the first pitch out of the park in left-center field, 2-0. That duo would burn Mattoon again.

Mattoon got those runs back in the bottom of the inning. The Ram freshman ace gave up a lead-off walk. After Rhodes threw out the next batter, short to 1st, the Rams committed an error.

Moll rang up the next batter. But with two outs, Moll gave up her first hit, a 2- RBI single. Moll KO'd the last batter and both teams would have to go back to work to get an edge.

Starwalt retired the Rams in the 5th on a comebacker to the mound and two more Ks(#7, #8). Moll gave up another lead-off walk and the Rams another error in the 5th. With two runners on base, Agney made the throw, 3rd to 1st to 2nd baseman Hannah Dudley covering first for the second out. Moll threw her seventh K to end the threat.

Starwalt struck out the sides in the Ram 6th and Mattoon got their advantage in the bottom of the inning. With one out, an error put a Wave on 1st. Moll gave up her third walk and then struck out her eighth victim.

With two outs, another Ram error allowed a run to score. Moll rang up the next batter to end the inning, but the Rams were down 3-2 heading into the top of the 7th.

Moll tagged a ball to center, but it was caught, one dead. Agney hit a ground ball to 2nd and was thrown out at 1st, two dead. Down to their last out, Cinnae Martin, the Ram freshman catcher, launched a ball over the fence in the same spot Agney had and tied the ball game, 3-3.

Moll had to hold Mattoon in the bottom of the 7th to force extra innings. She and wasn't perfect, but the Ram defense was, making up for committing four errors in the last three innings, leading to unearned runs.

After a lead-off walk by Moll (#4) and a stolen base, Mattoon had the winning run in scoring position. A fly ball by the #1 hitter was caught by Whitney Fox in left. Moll rang up the #2 batter and with the game on the line, Dudley threw out the #3 batter, 2nd to 1st. 

The game went on to extra-innings. Starwalt rang up her 13th and 14th Rams in the 8th and got out of the inning, despite a 1-out single by Whitney Fox, who was in scoring position when she was stranded.

In the Mattoon 8th, the Ram defense came through again. Dudley threw out the first batter. Dudley caught a pop up to get the second batter and Moll threw out the third batter on a comebacker.

In the Ram 9th, Boone boomed the the second pitch of the inning to left-center for a lead-off double. Moll sacrificed Boone over on a ground ball to 2nd. With one, the Agney-Boone connection struck again. With Boone on 3rd, Agney singled to center field and the Rams were up 4-3. Starwalt stayed strong and stopped the rally with her 15th K. But, Mattoon was down one.

Moll gave up another lead-off walk, on a 3-2 pitch. The next batter hit into a fielder's choice and Moll rang up the #9 hitter. With two outs and a runner on 1st, Moll had one more batter to get to get the win. On the 1-2 count, she rang her up for the out, for her 12th K, and for the game.

The Rams (7-0) can't afford to let down as they play OVC opponent Sullivan on Wednesday in Sullivan at 4:30 p.m. They finally return home for a game on Thursday, after six straight road games. They will host non-conference Hillsboro at 4:30 p.m.

Shelbyville 4, Mattoon 3   

Shelby    000 200 101--4-6-4

Mattoon  000 201 000--3-1-1

Ram stats: Dudley 0-for-4; Rhodes 0-for-4; Boone 1-for-4, ROE, 2B, 2 runs; Moll 0-for-4; Agney 3-for-4, HR, run, 3 RBIs; Martin 1-for-4, HR, run, RBI; Coleman 0-for-4; Welton 0-for-3; Fox 1-for-3. Pitching (W) Moll (6-0) 9 IP, 3 runs (1 ER), 1 hit, 6 BBs, 12 Ks.

Mattoon stats: Glenn 0-for-3, run; Sparks 0-for-4; Roytek 0-for-3, run; Basham 0-for-4, run; Rentschler 1-for-3, 2 RBIs; Jacobs 0-for-4; Starwalt 0-for-2; Harris 0-for-4; McDowell 0-for-3. Pitching (L) Starwalt (1-1) 9 IP, 4 runs (3 ER), 6 hits, 0 BBs, 15 Ks.