Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

After a couple of hard-fought losses to two quality teams — Heard County and Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy — the Callaway Cavaliers got back to winning ways on Tuesday with a 15-5 victory over AAAA Shaw. 

Callaway’s dominance was led by Ava Shuford, who the Raiders pitcher could not solve. Shuford was 5-for-5 with five RBIs and three runs scored. The play of the game was her two RBI, inside the park home run in the top of the first inning to spark the game to life. 

The Cavaliers offense got going again in the top of the third inning. Emma Bryan scored on a passed ball before Kinley Smith hit a RBI double to quickly make it 4-0 Cavaliers. 

The Raiders answered back with a five run salvo in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead. 

Callaway showed no signs of panicking and scored four runs in the top of the fourth to retake the lead. Savannah Rice scored on a passed ball to tie the game. The freshman was outstanding in the game, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Two batters later, Mackenzie Rhodes hit an RBI triple to give the Cavaliers the lead back. Rhodes has been one of the steady offensive players for Callaway this season and showed up once again on Tuesday as she went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. 

Shuford and Karlie Walker each had RBI singles later in the inning. Walker was explosive, going 2-for-5 with a RBI. 

The Cavalier offense kept rolling in the top of the fifth inning by scoring an additional four runs, and it once again started with Rice scoring on a passed ball. Bryan hit an RBI single to drive in Callaway’s second run of the game. Bryan, a senior, was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. Shuford drove in her fourth run of the game before Smith hit a double to drive in her second run of the game. Smith was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. 

The Cavaliers got their final three runs in the top of the sixth inning on a Rhodes RBI single, a Kiera Trone steal of home and a Shuford RBI single. 

Mackenzie Toney got the start on the mound and pitched all six innings, allowing just five hits and two earned runs on seven strikeouts. 

Callaway improves to 13-14 overall and will play Mt. Zion on Wednesday for senior night. The Cavaliers have already wrapped region play and will enter the AA state playoffs as a no. 2 seed after finishing second in region 5-AA.