Alyssa Schulte was anxious to make up for lost time.
After throwing just two innings last season due to a back injury, the Jefferson City junior did just that.
Schulte threw a complete-game shutout as the Lady Jays rolled to a 7-0 win Thursday against St. Elizabeth at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
"It was a really great feeling," Schulte said. "I've been looking forward to playing for so long since I had to sit out last year. It's just so great to be back on the field with all my teammates. I was really happy I did a good job tonight."
Schulte allowed four hits, struck out 12 and didn't allow a walk in seven innings as Jefferson City improved to 3-0 on the year.
"A lot of it was just moving the ball around, keeping batters off-balance so they didn't know what was coming," Schulte said. "I've also got to give a lot of credit to my catcher (Brooke Rozier). She called a great game."
Schulte recorded her first win of the season Tuesday during Jefferson City's 8-7 victory in nine innings against Rock Bridge. The right-hander didn't allow an earned run and yielded four hits in three innings out of the bullpen in her season debut.
"She's a tough kid," Jefferson City coach Lisa Dey said. "She mixes the ball up well, she's got a nice little changeup, which is a big help."
Run support wasn't an issue for Schulte.
The Lady Jays had 14 hits while getting production from the entire lineup.
"When you've got kids up and down the lineup that are doing their job and hitting the ball, it gives us such an advantage," Dey said. "Give me 14 hits in any ballgame, and the coach usually walks away pretty happy."
Emily Williams was 2-for-4 with a grand slam and drove in five runs to lead Jefferson City offensively. Rozier added a solo home run and Taylor Dey was 3-for-4 with an RBI to help pace the Lady Jays at the plate.
Katie Tambke, Schulte and Krista Brickey each added two hits, while Alexis Gilliland and Darby Bundage each added one.
Williams and Dey both drove in a run in the bottom of the first to give Jefferson City a 2-0 lead, but Lady Jays didn't stop there.
Rozier hit her second home run of the season with two outs in the third to extend the lead to three.
"I think in any at-bat, she has the capability to do that," Lisa Dey said. "She's probably swung more in the offseason than any girl that I've had. She's got the capability, so hope it continues."
Brickey led off the fourth with a double, Tambke and Schulte followed with back-to-back singles and Williams capped off the inning with a grand slam to left-center to put the Lady Jays up by seven.
"I was just looking to move runners, wasn't trying to do too much, just hit the ball," said Williams, who drove in four runs during Tuesday's win. "The pitch came and I just hit it and it sailed."
St. Elizabeth starting pitcher Regan Wilde only allowed two hits the rest of the way, but the Lady Hornets were unable to get anything going offensively.
"(Wilde) has come so far, even from last year," St. Elizabeth coach Peggy Wieberg said. "She's matured a lot. She came out the next inning after giving up that grand slam and shut them down. What more can you ask of a pitcher? Yeah, she's still got a lot to learn, but Jefferson City has good hitters."
Taylor Helton, Sarah Heckemeyer, Megan Kemna and Shanley Kliethermes all added singles to pace St. Elizabeth (0-2) on the offensive end.
"Schulte read our batters very, very well," Wieberg said. "She did an excellent job."
St. Elizabeth has had a challenging schedule to open up the 2014 campaign. The Lady Hornets, a Class 1 team, suffered an 8-0 loss in their season opener against Blair Oaks, which moved down to Class 2 this year after falling to Centralia in the Class 3 state championship game last year.
Things didn't get any easier Thursday for the Lady Hornets, who went 17-8 last season after falling to New Franklin in a state quarterfinal game.
"Anytime you get to play quality teams like this, it's always beneficial," Wieberg said. "We love playing them. We learn so much from them. We go home and we apply the things we learned. We know what we have to work on now."
St. Elizabeth will host Russellville on Tuesday, while Jefferson City is set to host Troy Buchanan at 6:30 p.m. tonight.
The Lady Jays are hoping to continue their winning ways.
"We get along very well and we play together really well," Schulte said. "We've got a great season so far and I hope it continues."