Marchman throws one-hitter for Cavaliers

Published 12:06 am Saturday, March 10, 2018

By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It was a walk-off win for the Callaway Cavaliers.

Trent Sheppard’s infield base hit in the bottom of the seventh inning brought Dawson Wright in with the winning run as Callaway beat Handley 2-1 on Friday night.

Braelin Mitchell hit a solo home run for the Cavaliers, and sophomore right-hander Wesley Marchman pitched a complete-game one-hitter.

Callaway (8-4) will begin its Region 5-AA schedule on Tuesday against Temple.

Handley had a 1-0 lead until Mitchell hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, and Callaway won it in the seventh.

The seventh-inning rally began with two outs.

Wright got things started, and Brooks Bledsoe then stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter.

Callaway head coach Dusty Hubbard called for the bunt, and Bledsoe executed it perfectly, placing the ball down the third-base line.

The third baseman attempted to make a play, and the throw went over the first baseman’s head and into right field, and the Cavaliers ended up with men on second and third.

“I was proud of Bledsoe for getting a bunt down,” Hubbard said. “That was big for us to get it back to the top (of the order).”

Leadoff hitter Drake Wade was intentionally walked, bringing Sheppard to the plate.

With two strikes, Sheppard hit the ball hard toward the third baseman, who was unable to make the play, and Wright trotted home with the winning run.

“I battled,” Sheppard said. “I spread out and competed, and made sure I hit it hard somewhere.”

Handley took the lead with a single run in the top of the fourth inning, and Callaway threatened in the bottom of the inning.

With the bases loaded, Jabari Smith hit the ball on the nose, but it was caught by the second baseman, who stepped on the bag for the inning-ending double play.

The Cavaliers made some noise again in the fifth inning when they got a man to third with one out, but he was left stranded.

In the sixth inning, Mitchell pulled the Cavaliers even when he launched the ball over the left-field fence for the solo home run.

Mitchell came up with two outs and no one on, and he wasn’t thinking home run.

“I was trying to get on base, to keep our team in the game,” Mitchell said.

When Mitchell made contact, he had no doubt the ball was going to land beyond the fence.

“I knew that was gone off the bat,” Mitchell said.

The Cavaliers were in position to win the game because of the excellence of Marchman.

Handley’s only run came in the fourth inning when Colby Cagle reached on a one-out single before scoring on an error.

Callaway will begin defense of its region championship on Tuesday when it visits Temple.

The two teams will play a doubleheader at Callaway on Friday beginning at 4:30 p.m.