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The Callaway baseball team survived and advanced to the Sweet 16 on Saturday, topping Coahulla 3-2 in a winner-take-all game three. 

“I was so excited and the first thing I thought about doing was throwing my glove as high as I could in the air, but I didn’t want to start anything with the opposing team, so I didn’t do it,” junior Slade Hunt said. 

The game truly came down to the final out. Callaway led 3-2, facing runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the seventh. A hard ground ball was hit to shortstop Lashun Gates, who fielded the ball cleanly and threw a laser to Brody Swanson at first base, beating the base runner by a step and ensuring the tying run did not reach home safely.

“My eyes lit up,” Gates said. “I was ready for the moment. That’s what I live for.”

“I was nervous for him,” Hunt added as the two shared a laugh. 

Hunt, Callaway’s starting pitcher in the game, had his fingerprints all over the victory as well. The junior pitched the first 6 ⅓ innings before making way for Blake Harrington, who got one out in the seventh and then hit his pitch count for the series. Hunt was reinserted into the lineup and got the final out for the Cavaliers. 

“I honestly didn’t know I could go back to the mound in the game,” Hunt said. “I kind of wasn’t expecting it and was a little nervous with the guy on third, but I got them to ground out, so it worked out in the end.”

Hunt struck out three batters on seven hits and two earned runs. 

HOW IT GOT THERE:

The game was locked into a stalemate until the Cavaliers broke the game open with three runs in the third inning. Jackson Butts hit an RBI single to break the deadlock. Gates and Luke Taylor hit back-to-back RBI singles to give the Cavaliers some insurance runs. Taylor’s early RBI proved to be the difference in the end.

The Colts refused to go away, scoring a run in the top of the fifth inning before adding another in the seventh as the team attempted a late rally to keep their season alive.

Gates and Butts led the offense with two hits apiece.

“I love playing in a series like this,” Gates said. “Every time the other team talks they are poking a sleeping dog. It’s best to let a sleeping dog lie.”

Taylor, Brody Swanson, Wesley Williams, Jaxon Duncan and Jeremiah Staples all had a hit apiece. 

WHAT’S NEXT: 

Callaway will host Drew Charter in the second round of the 2A state playoffs starting on Thursday. A potential game three would be Friday at The Hubb.

“I love playing here in front of our home fans,” said Gates, a senior on the team. “This is my last run with the Cavaliers, so I want to play as many games as we can here.”