The CAM baseball season ended Tuesday night in a 3-2 home loss to Newell-Fonda in the second round of the postseason. Both teams had their aces on the mound and made it a thrilling baseball game to watch. Newell-Fonda had disciplined at bats throughout the course of the game including seven hit batsmen. The Cougars trailed by two and hit a late solo home run to cut the lead but was not enough in the end.

Senior Lukas James fell into trouble in the top of the first walking the first batter he sees followed by three hit batsmen. The Mustangs only scored once despite the bases loaded and no outs situation. Catcher Brayden Chester tossed a runner out followed by James’ first strikeout of the night.

Early in the game, CAMs runners came sporadically as they faced Mustang ace Senior Max Carlson. Carlson, entering the game with an earned run average below two allowed two hits and a walk in his first two innings on the hill. After two, it was a 1-0 lead for Newell-Fonda.

In the third, eighth-grader Andrew Greenfield took on James for an 11-pitch at bat and eventually drew a leadoff walk. Later in the inning, Mustang Senior Mason Hoberman smacked an RBI double into the left center gap to double the Newell-Fonda lead after three.

Down two in the middle innings, CAM capitalized on the only error the Mustangs committed in the game. A two-out misplay by the second baseman and a chuck in the first base dugout gave the Cougars another life in the fourth. Next batter, Sophomore Kayden Winther blooped an RBI single into right center to drive in Collin Bower.

James hit the first two batters he saw in the fifth and first baseman, Carson McKee relieved in on the mound. Freshman Gunnar Baron gave Newell-Fonda that two-run lead right back after smoking an RBI double in the left center gap.

CAM, down to their final out in the seventh brought Chase Spieker to the plate. Spieker, already with two doubles on the game, lifts one deep to left field and over the fence to make it a 3-2 game. Carlson finished off his complete game by fielding a groundout to secure the one-run win.

Cougar Head Coach Mick Long complimented Carlson and said the walks and hit batsmen was the difference.

Going with McKee out of the bullpen was always the move for Long.

The four seniors in the program made a significant impact.

CAM ends their season at 18-4 and had their best winning percentage since 2022.