Freshman Grace Moll struck out 13 batters in a no-hit performance in the home season-opener for the Shelbyville Lady Rams on Thursday, shutting out Windsor, 10-0.

Shelbyville had already begun to bear fruit from the Shelbyville Lady Laker traveling ball program over the last few years. This year freshman ace Grace Moll and her battery-mate Cinnae Martin are finally old enough to join all those other veteran Lakers filling the high school roster. And, after playing together on the Shelbyville Synergy since late last summer, the Rams started the 2010 season, Thursday, sharp as a knife.

Not only did Moll shut down the Windsor offense, but the Ram defense made plays, including web gems by 2nd baseman Hannah Dudley and right fielder Ashley Bitting. The Ram hitters also got in their shots (2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run), against a very good freshman hurler, Lindsey Floyd.

Floyd allowed just one hit in the first inning, striking out two of the top four Ram batters. She got touched in the second for four runs, but then allowed just one more run in the third and recorded her fourth and fifth strikeouts. She retired the Rams in order in the fourth with her sixth strikeout.

Floyd got out of the fifth down, 6-0, but then started getting the ball up in the zone in the sixth. Mickie Baker came on in relief, trailing 7-0 with men on base, and she couldn't stop the roll.

Moll struck out the first three batters she faced. Her first two pitches against lead-off hitter Hannah Cole were change ups, called strikes. The third pitch was all heat. The third batter, Tierra Becker, ran for third on a dropped third strike, but Ram catcher Cinnae Martin threw her out.

Floyd also started with good stuff and struck out the Ram lead-off hitter. But, Hannah Dudley lined a single into right. Floyd KO'd the next batter and got the fourth batter to pop out to Cole at shortstop.

Floyd, the lead-off hitter in the second, was the first Devil batter to hit Moll. The ball carried out to right, tailing towards the line, and Ashley Bitting got on her horse and snagged it, running back to her left. Moll rang up the next batter and issued her first of two walks. She KO'd the next batter to end the at bat.

In the second, Shelbyville had seen Floyd enough to get some traction at the plate. Moll and her battery-mate Cinnae Martin started the second with back-to-back singles. Designated hitter, Katelyn Coleman, then launched a ball deep into right. Sam Worthey caught it, but Moll tagged up and scored from third, 1-0.

Bitting walked and the stole second. On the throw to second, the ball got away and Ranae Julius, running for Martin, scored. The next batter fanned. With two outs and one man on, the Ram lead-off hitter, Taylor Rhodes, blasted a ball over the left fielder's head and all the way to the fence.

Bitting scored and Rhodes rounded third and kept going home even though the ball was thrown to the backstop. She beat the ball for the roundtripper and a 4-0 Ram lead. Dudley got her second hit in row, but was out trying to take second, ending the inning.

Moll rang up the first Devil batter in the third, but then, the slightly built center fielder and back-up catcher, freshman Danielle Bell got a piece of every pitch Moll threw. She smacked a 1-2 pitch to the right of Ram 2nd baseman Hannah Dudley and looked to fly by into right. But, Dudley reached out and snagged it with the end of her mitt to keep the no-hitter alive.

Moll had to face the Devil's best hitter, Cole, again, and the third pitch got away and tatooed Cole in the middle of the back with a 60+ mile an hour fast ball. No tears, she just trotted to first and got ready to run. But, Moll rang up the next batter and end the at bat.

The Rams best hitter last year, Shannon Boone led off the Ram third with a single. The lone Ram senior starter, Kaylee Agney, then clobbered a ball deep for an RBI double. Floyd then rang up the next batter and she was thrown out on a dropped third strike. Floyd got the next batter to pop out, but walked Coleman. No matter, she rang up the last batter to end the third inning, down 5-0.

In the Devil third, Moll started with a KO, then Floyd ground out to Moll, who came off the mound and made the throw to Turaisa Welton at first for the out. Sophomore Stephanie Strowmatt then hit a pitch, but right at 3rd baseman Kaylee Agney, who made the throw across infield for the out, retiring the Devils in order.

Floyd did the same thing to the Rams in the bottom of the inning. She rang up the #9 batter, got Rhodes to fly out Worthey in right and Dudley ground out to Baker at third, who made the throw to Barbara Blackburn at first to end the inning, still down 5-0.

Moll rang up the first batter in the fifth and Sam Worthey ground out to Rhodes at short. Moll KO'd another batter, her 10th, to keep the no-hit bid alive for another inning.

Boone led off the fifth with another single and went to second on a passed ball. Agney flew out to left and Moll walked. With one out and two on, Martin singled Boone home. With one out, Coleman then popped out to Blackburn at first and all the players ran off the field.

It was the only opening day brain cramp in an otherwise well-played game.

Each coach realized there was only two outs. Coach Lee sent Blackburn back out to cross the diamond and tag third base for the third out. But, Coach Josh Maxwell sent his base runners back out to third and second. The runner on third got safely back to third, but the runner on second was tagged out just before she could get there to end the inning for real.

The Devils came to bat in the sixth down 6-0, but still couldn't get to Moll. She rang up the first batter after another battle, but then got a little loose facing Cole. She walked her on a 3-1 pitch. Cole then stole second on a bang-bang play despite a great throw by Martin and a good tag by Rhodes. Cole was too fast and long legged and she sneaked her foot to the backside of the bag as the tag was made.

The Devils finally had a runner in scoring position. But, Moll rang up the next two batters to end the threat to the shutout and the no-hitter.

Floyd had pitched well in her first high school start through five innings. But, she then started to get up in the zone. Ashley Bitting led off the sixth with a single. Whitney Fox then drew a walk and Rhodes launched a ball deep into center field and the fielder couldn't get her glove closed on it. Bitting scored and Fox and Rhodes ended up in scoring position.

Mickie Baker came on in relief for Floyd, but Dudley smacked her third hit of the game, a 2-run double into right center. Up 9-0, Boone came to the plate. She hit a 1-2 pitch all the way to the fence. She scored Dudley and ended up on third for a walk-off triple, ending the game by the 10-run rule.

Shelbyville 10, Windsor 0

Windsor 000 000—0-0-1

Shelby 041 014—10-12-0

Ram stats: Taylor Rhodes 1-for-4, HR, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Hannah Dudley 3-for-4, 2B, run, 2 RBIs; Shannon Boone 3-for-4, 3B, run, 2 RBIs; Kaylee Agney 1-for-3, 2B, SB, RBI; Grace Moll 1-for-2, BB, run; Cinnae Martin 2-for-3, run, RBI; Katelyn Coleman 0-for-1, BB, sac fly, RBI; Ashley Bitting 1-for-2, BB, SB, 2 runs; Whitney Fox 0-for-2, BB, run, RBI. Pitching (W) Grace Moll 6 IP, 0 run, 0 hits, 2 BBs, HB, 13 Ks.

Windsor stats: Hannah Cole 0-for-1, BB, HBP, SB; Mickie Baker 0-for-3; Tierra Becker 0-for-3; Lindsey Floyd 0-for-2; Stephanie Strowmatt 0-for-2; Barbara Blackburn 0-for-1, BB; Sam Worthey 0-for-2; Shawnee Hardin 0-for-2; Dani Bell 0-for-2.

*Watch for web updates for the complete story, stats and photos.