By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

The Callaway Cavaliers have overcome inexperience and injuries to return to the state playoffs.

The Cavaliers secured one of Region 5-AA’s four playoff spots with Tuesday’s 9-3 home victory over Crawford County.

The Cavaliers wrap up their regular season Friday at home against Jordan, and the following week they’ll be on the road for a first-round state matchup.

Nearly every key contributor from last season’s team graduated, and the team has also been hit hard by injuries, including a season-ending injury to Chris Laye.

The Cavs (12-11, 9-6 in region play) have persevered, though, and they’ll likely head into the playoffs on a three-game winning streak.

“These guys, in my four years, they’re probably the closest-knit group we’ve had, and that’s because they’ve had to go through so much,” Callaway head coach Dusty Hubbard said. “They’ve had so many ups and downs.”

Taylor Kenerley, one of four seniors on the team, said it’s been all about hard work.

“Everybody’s come out and played hard,” he said. “We practiced hard, and now we’re in the playoffs.”

Things started out on a sour note Tuesday, with Crawford County scoring two runs in the top of the first inning.

The Cavs bounced right back with three runs in the bottom of the first, though.

Kenerley got things started with a base hit, and he later scored on an error for the first run.

Brian Kitchens later walked with the bases loaded to tie the game, and Caleb Shelnutt’s RBI single gave the Cavs a 3-2 lead.

“We’re finally starting to be aggressive at the plate and swing the bat a little bit,” Hubbard said. “That really paid off for us.”

After Crawford tied it with a run in the top of the second, Callaway took the lead for good with two runs in third.

B.J. Drake singled and Tanner Thompson doubled leading off the inning.

One run scored on a wild pitch, and Shelnutt knocked in another run with a groundout.

A Dominique Smedley double in the fourth inning gave the Cavs a 6-3 lead, and Drake’s RBI double later in the inning put the Cavs up 8-3.

In the sixth, Smedley doubled and scored on a wild pitch to cap the scoring.

Hubbard used four pitchers, Thompson, freshman Brew Parker, Kenerley and Hunter Harrington.

All three relief pitchers came into the game in tough spots and wriggled out of trouble without any runs scoring.

Kenerely faced one batter in the fifth inning with the bases loaded, and he got a strikeout.

“He got a huge out for us,” Hubbard said.