CHESAPEAKE - Tracy Mays was pitching good, so Jennifer Rice just pitched better.

Rice fired a no-hitter as the Chesapeake Lady Panthers slipped past the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers 3-0 Tuesday in a non-league game.

Rice struck out 16 batters, walked three and hit one as she went the distance.

Mays pitched well in defeat as she yielded just four hits, fanned nine and walked three in going the distance.

"Tracy pitched her best game of the year, but Rice is probably the best pitcher we've faced all year and we've seen some good pitchers," Ironton coach Beth Freeman said.

"We made a couple of errors that hurt and you can't afford to make mistakes against a pitcher like Rice."

The Lady Panthers broke the scoreless tie in the fourth with a pair of runs.

With one out, Joanna Delimpo was safe on an error and Samantha Best singled for a run. Kristyn New walked and Candace Dickerson had an RBI single.

The final run scored in the fifth inning when Brittany Boyle reached on an error, Jade Hazelett singled, and Delimpo hit a sacrifice fly.

Chesapeake is at Coal Grove Wednesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Ironton, 3-9, hosts Boyd County, Ky., at 5 p.m. Monday.

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Tracy Mays and Brandi Norris. Jennifer Rice and Kristyn New. W-Rice (16-K, 3-W, 1-HBP). L-Mays (9-K, 3-W). Hitting-Chesapeake: Brittany Boyle 1-3, Jade Hazelett 1-2, Samantha Best 1-3, Candace Dickerson 1-3.