By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

CARROLLTON – Josh Hanson, who was an ace of Callaway’s staff a year ago, was in fine form in Tuesday’s season opener against the Coosa Eagles.

Hanson pitched into the sixth inning and gave up two runs while striking out nine, but the day belonged to Coosa, which won 9-2.

The game was tied 2-2 through seven innings, and Coosa exploded for seven runs in the top of the eighth inning.

Most of Callaway’s position players from last season graduated, so it was a new-look lineup on Tuesday, and head coach Dusty Hubbard said it’ll be a learning process.

“We’ve got some young kids that are having to play that aren’t quite ready yet,” Hubbard said. “But we’ll get there.”

Coosa broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the top of the seventh, and Callaway tied it in the bottom of the inning when it scored on a balk.

With a runner on second, Kyle Campbell hit the ball hard up the middle, but the pitcher made a nice play and threw to first for the third out.

“Two or three feet either way, and we win the game,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard said the hitters will need to have better approaches at the plate moving forward.

“We have to do a better job of hitting with runners in scoring position, and do a better job of having quality at-bats,” Hubbard said.

Chandler Lott had two of Callaway’s four hits, and Wesley Marchman and Drake Wade each had one hit.