The CAM Cougars put themselves in a 6-0 hole against Lenox in the Class 1A District 13 Final on Saturday night. The Cougars made multiple mistakes in the top of the third that the Tigers took full advantage of. 4 innings later, Lane Spieker was sliding in to home on a passed ball to walk off a 7-6 win and put CAM in the Substate Final on Tuesday. Spieker said he was ready for the chance.

Spieker started the game on the mound and pitched a couple of good frames before struggling in the third. He gave up two walks, hit two batters, and committed a throwing error before he was pulled for Joe Kauffman. Kauffman ended up giving up a walk and Samson Adams picked up the only Tiger hit of the game with a 2 RBI double. The six runs that crossed the plate during the rough inning were all that the Tigers would get.

CAM started chipping away in the 4th. Lenox catcher Walon Cook tried to throw to first to pick off a base runner and the ball sailed into the outfield. That allowed the first two cougar runs to score and Cade Ticknor went on to deliver an RBI double to cut the lead in half. Ticknor said they were down for a bit in the dugout but that sequence was a big spark to pick the team back up.

The Cougars added two more in the fifth on an RBI double from Spieker, and a RBI groundout from Colby Rich. Ethan Follmann led off the sixth with a double and he made his way over to third. A passed ball allowed him to come sliding in for the tying run. Ticknor came in to pitch the 7th and set down the order for Lenox. Then Spieker made his wild trip around the bags. He drew a walk to lead off. A poor pickoff attempt sailed to the fence and he moved over to 2nd. Then Colby Rich hit a pop fly to right field and the Tigers failed to secure the catch. That allowed Spieker to head over to third. Then came the passed ball finish. Spieker said they did a good job of shaking off the poor third inning.

Ticknor said he was glad to get the opportunity to help out on the mound in a big moment.

The Cougars improved to 25-6 on the season with the dramatic win. They will now face St. Albert in the Substate 7 Final on Tuesday night in Glenwood. The Falcons advance with a comeback 3-2 win over Exira-EHK in Council Bluffs on Saturday. This will be the third time in the past five years the Cougars and Falcons have met with a trip to state on the line. We’ll have coverage on KJAN Tuesday night.