By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

Despite a huge day from senior Kourtney Grier, the Callaway Lady Cavaliers came up on the short end of an 11-6 score against visiting Haralson County on Monday.

Grier, one of three seniors on Callaway’s roster, had three hits and four RBIs, and she also made some outstanding plays from her second-base position.

Grier, much to the delight of head coach Robyn McCann, also provided some valuable on-the-field leadership during a hard-fought game.

“She spoke up today,” McCann said. “I had to talk to her about being my leader, and she was. She did great today, all the way around.”

Callaway had the lead until the sixth inning when Haralson County pushed two runs across to take a 7-6 lead.

Haralson County added five insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, and Callaway was unable to answer.

Callaway continued to swing the bats well.

Counting its two games on Saturday against LaGrange and Troup, Callaway has scored 32 runs in three games.

Callaway (1-2) has lost two of those games, including Saturday’s wild 19-16 loss to Troup.

In Monday’s game, Callaway had a 6-5 lead after scoring twice in the fourth inning, but it was outscored 6-0 the rest of the way.

After Haralson County scored twice in the top of the first, Callaway got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning.

McKenzie Rhodes reached on a one-out bunt single, and Chaple Butler walked before Grier knocked in a run with a hard-hit single.

In the top of the second, Haralson County had a runner on first with one out when Grier turned in a defensive gem.

Grier fielded a grounder and raced to second for the force-out, and she turned and threw a strike to first to complete the inning-ending double play.

Callaway took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third, and Grier was right in the middle of things once again.

Rhodes led off with a walk and moved to second on Butler’s sacrifice bunt before scoring on a Grier base hit.

Grier later scored on a Faith Horton single, and Callaway led 4-2.

Haralson answered with three runs in the top of the third, and Callaway reclaimed the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.

Lindsay Cofield got things started with a base hit, and Leijorey Sanders followed with a sacrifice bunt.

After Rhodes reached on an infield single and Butler walked, Grier came through with a two-run single, and Callaway led 6-5.

That’s the way it remained until Haralson County scored twice in the sixth inning to take a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

Callaway will be at home again on Tuesday against Hardaway, with first pitch set for 5 p.m.