By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

MANCHESTER – It was a winning start for the Callaway High baseball team.

Facing the home-standing Manchester Blue Devils, Callaway eased its way to a 7-2 victory on Tuesday in a game that was shortened to six innings because of a lack of light.

The Cavaliers are coming off an exceptional season that ended with a loss to the Benedictine Cadets in the semifinals of the Class AA state tournament.

Many of the players who helped the Cavaliers come close to winning a state championship have returned this season.

One of those players, Dawson Wright, started and pitched three innings, giving up two unearned runs.

Wright had seven strikeouts with no walks.

Justin Moore worked the next three innings, and he didn’t allow any runs to get the win.

Moore had five strikeouts while walking two batters.

The Cavaliers were trailing 2-1 when they seized the lead with four runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Wesley Marchman, coming off a stellar sophomore season as a pitcher and infielder, had a clutch pinch-hit, two-run double in the fifth inning.

Drake Wade had an RBI single in the fifth inning, and Zach Neighbors added a sacrifice fly.

Callaway finished with 10 hits, and Wade and Walt Stewart had two hits apiece.

Callaway played a preseason game last week, and it fell to Northgate 9-8.

Jabari Smith and Trent Sheppard each had a hit and two RBIs, and Marchman had one hit and an RBI.

Braelin Mitchell had an RBI, and Wade had a hit and two runs scored.

Five different Callaway pitchers appeared in the game.

Callaway is scheduled to make its home debut today against Heritage, with first pitch set for 5:30 p.m.