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The Callaway baseball team is back in the Elite 8 for the first time since 2022. The Cavaliers swept a second-round doubleheader against Drew Charter on Thursday to earn a spot in the 2A state quarterfinals. 

“This feels amazing,” junior Slade Hunt said. “We worked all season for this, and it’s a great feeling, but we aren’t done yet.”

 

GAME ONE:

CALLAWAY – 10

DREW CHARTER – 2

 

The Callaway baseball team overcame an early deficit in game one.

Drew Charter drew first blood with a run in the top of the first inning. The Cavaliers would answer the call in the second inning with Wesley Williams scoring on a wild pitch to level the game at a run apiece.

The Eagles would reply with a run at the top of the third inning to retake the lead.

Callaway would go on to capture its first lead of the game with three runs in the bottom of the third. Jackson Butts scored on an error to put the two teams on level terms once again. Kieron Pope scored on a wild pitch to give the Cavaliers their first lead of the contest. Blake Harrington doubled the Callaway lead with an RBI single later in the inning.

The Cavaliers added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth with Luke Taylor hitting a two-out single to drive home a run.

“I was in a little bit of a slump lately, so it was good to go out there and get a few hits,” said Taylor, who led the team in hits in both games. 

Lashun Gates reached home on a wild pitch to give Callaway a 6-2 advantage. 

Callaway made sure to leave no room for a comeback, adding a run in the bottom of the fifth inning courtesy of an error from the Eagles. 

Callaway continued to pour it on late by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Two separate errors allowed the first two runs of the inning to score. Williams had an RBI groundout to put Callaway up 10-2. 

Harrington started on the mound in game one and went four innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run on seven strikeouts. 

“We know that whoever goes out there and starts on the mound is going to give us a chance to win,” Taylor said. “There’s never a worry in the world when they are on the mound.”

Williams pitched the next two innings and Butts pitched the final inning to slam the door on any rally attempt by the Eagles.

Taylor led the Callaway offense with two hits while Hunt, Harrington, Williams and Butts all had a hit each. 

 

GAME TWO:

CALLAWAY – 8

DREW CHARTER – 0 

 

Game two belonged to Hunt, Callaway’s starting pitcher. The junior right-hander threw a no-hitter to send the Cavaliers to the state quarterfinals.

“This is so special,” Hunt said. “I’m kind of at a loss for words right now. It’s just a special, special feeling.”

The Cavaliers got the final out, Hunt threw his glove into the sky and the entire Callaway dugout chased him down and threw him on the bottom of a dogpile. 

“I tried to keep getting out of it, but every time I was about to escape, they kept pushing me down,” Hunt said, laughing. “Eventually, I just gave up.”

The Cavalier offense picked up right where they left off in game one. Callaway would take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never looked back from there. A pair of errors from the Drew Charter defense would allow the runs to score.

The Cavaliers extended their lead to seven runs in the second inning. Taylor broke the game open with a three-run homer to get the scoring started in the inning.

“I knew it was gone right away,” Taylor said, smirking. “That was one where you knew it was gone right away.”

“He’s not in a slump anymore,” Hunt chimed in. 

 A balk allowed an additional run to reach home. 

Harrington stole home for the fourth run of the inning. 

Callaway continued to add to its lead, scoring a run in the top of the third inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Harrington.

Taylor led the Cavaliers with three hits in game two. Brody Swanson and Gates had two hits each while Harrington and Jeremiah Staples finished with one apiece.

 

WHAT’S NEXT:

Callaway will travel to Rockmart for a doubleheader next Wednesday. A potential game three would be played on Thursday. 

This will be the first road trip for the Cavaliers in the 2025 playoffs.