By Robert Griffin

Sports Writer

Callaway High starting pitcher Brew Parker threw the first strikeout of the game, and reliever Tanner Thompson shut the door with a strikeout in the seventh as the Cavaliers kept their home winning streak intact, beating the Bowdon Red Devils 9-6.

The win brings the Cavs season record to 11-5, and they’ve yet to lose at home this season.

“They are a good team,” said Callaway coach Dusty Hubbard said. “Every year that we play those guys its a pretty evenly matched game. They are very well coached, and they play a very similarly to the way that we do, very hard. Offensively, they are really tough to strike out. They do a very good job of putting the ball in play.”

The Cavaliers jumped out to an early lead in the first when Dominique Smedley scored on a fielder’s choice.

The Cavs added two runs in the second inning, and two more in the third.

In the second, Smedley walked with the bases loaded in the second to drive in a run, and Caleb Shelnutt added a sacrifice fly.

In the third, Daniel Crowe had an RBI double.

Bowdon kept pace, though, and by the bottom of the fourth inning it was tied 5-5.

“We knew the couple of times that we got ahead that they were going to fight back,” said Hubbard, “and thats what they did, its kind of been that way every year we play them.”

After two quick outs in the fourth, the Cavs mounted a rally, which was helped when Brandon Bowen scored on a passed ball, and Kane Keith popped a two-RBI single to left field which gave the Cavs an 8-5 lead.

The Cavs added another run when Chris Laye scored on a pass ball in the fifth.

The pitching duo of Parker, who went four innings with one walk and three strikeouts, and Thompson, who worked three innings and gave up one run with three strikeouts, helped the Cavaliers keep the game in their favor.

“I’m really proud of our guys tonight,” Hubbard said. “It was a good win for us.”

The Cavs are on the road today, squaring off against Region 5-AA rival Heard County.

“That’s a big game for us,” said Hubbard. “It’s always been a tough game, even when one team is a lot better than the other, but it still seems to stay close, and we are looking forward to it.”