CHESAPEAKE — If the rest of the league games could just be this easy.

The Chesapeake Panthers got a one-hit shutout from Cody Methax as they blanked the River Valley Raiders 16-0 in a five-inning mercy rule Ohio Valley Conference win Monday.

“That was a good way to start the league schedule,” Panthers coach Joe Waugh said. “I don’t think they’ll all be this easy.”

Methax allowed only a leadoff single in the third inning by Brad Aberts. He struck out eight and walked one.

“Methax threw the ball pretty well, but we need to keep getting better,” Waugh said.

Chesapeake got the only run it needed in the first inning when Cory Methax singled, stole second and came home on a hit by Cody Methax.

The Panthers came back with four runs in the second inning.

Kyle Rase singled to start the inning, stole second base, and Michael Wright and Brian Huff walked. Cory Methax and Cody Methax walked to force in runs and Kirsten Harris singled home two more.

The lead went to 10-0 in the third inning.

Vernon Browning was hit by a pitch, moved up on a passed ball, Wright had an infield hit to put runners on the corners and a passed ball scored a run.

P.J. Rase was safe on an error, Huff was hit by a pitch and the runners moved up on a wild pitch. Harris singled to drive in a run and a pair of passed balls scored two more.

Chesapeake capped the scoring with six runs in the fourth inning on two hits.

Three walks, two hit batsmen and a run-scoring single by P.J. Rase and a two-run triple by Josh Blair highlighted the uprising.

Harris went 3-for-3 and Cory Methax 2-2 as the Panthers collected 10 hits.

Chesapeake, 2-0 and 1-0, hosts Portsmouth East Tuesday. River Valley dropped to 0-3 and 0-1.

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T.R. Flint, Josh Peck (3), Bard Aberts (4) and Eric Caldwell. Cody Methax and Brian Huff, Josh Blair (5). W-Methax (8-K, 1-BB). L-Flint. 3B-Chesapeake: Josh Blair. Hitting-River Valley: Brad Aberts 1-2; Chesapeake: Cory Methax 2-2, Kirsten Harris 3-3, P.J. Rase 1-5, Josh Blair 1-1, Cody Methax 1-2, Kyle Rase 1-2, Michael Wright 1-1.