By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

The Callaway Cavaliers stepped away from region play to take on a strong Westminster squad on a picture-perfect Saturday afternoon.

Westminster (14-4 overall), which is ranked third in in Class AAAA, swept the doubleheader.

After winning the first game 16-3, Wesminster finished the sweep with a 7-3 victory.

Callaway (12-8 overall) returns to the all-important Region 5-AA schedule with three games against Jordan this week.

Callaway visits Jordan on Tuesday, and it hosts a doubleheader on Thursday.

After taking two of three from Lamar County last week, Callaway is 6-3 in the region, and it’s in second place Bremen, which is 11-1 in the region.

Callaway has a comfortable cushion over the third-place team, Heard County, which is 6-6 in the region.

If Callaway finishes second, it will host a first-round series in the state playoffs.

After Westminster won Saturday’s first game in comfortable fashion, Callaway was much more competitive in the second game.

After falling behind 3-0, Callaway tied it with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Westminster went back on top with four runs in the top of the sixth.

Brooks Bledsoe had a pair of hits in game two for the Cavaliers, and Trent Sheppard had a single and an RBI.

Zach Neighbors and Austin Cardwell each had a hit and a run scored, Justin Moore had a hit and a walk, and Bryce Kurian walked and had an RBI.

Dawson Wright was Callaway’s starting pitcher, and he gave up five hits and three runs, although only one of the runs was earned.

After Brooks Bledsoe pitched the sixth inning, Ayden Brooks only needed 12 pitches to throw a scoreless seventh inning.

In the first game, the Cavaliers took a 3-1 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning, but the rest of the game belonged to the Wildcats.

Wright had a double and two RBIs for Callaway, Luke Swann had a base hit and an RBI, and Wesley Marchman, Sheppard and Destin Patrick each had a hit.

Austin Barber, Neighbors and Brooks each pitched for Callaway.