(Coon Rapids, IA) – In the district championship game on Saturday evening, the CAM Cougars couldn’t get the offense rolling after Coon Rapids-Bayard was able to dominate the game and cap an 11-0 shutout victory. Unfortunately for CAM, this marks the end of their postseason run as they close out the 2023-24 season.
CAM looked like they were going to get things going out of the gate in the top of the first with a single from Carson McKee. Unfortunately, McKee was left stranded after three straight outs to go into the bottom of the first. CAM would also have a great first inning defensively as Brody Paulsen forced three flyouts on the mound and the team had one error on the bases to leave a runner stranded and go into the second.
The Cougars wouldn’t get anything going in the second inning after a three-up-three-down inning. Coon Rapids-Bayard on the other hand, only got the gears turning. The Crusaders had Parker Hays on first after a walk while Cade Behrens hit into a groundout to advance Hays to second. Caden Oswald would go up and hit a single to score Hays and go up 1-0. After a steal from Oswald, Jace Baker would walk and put runners on first and second with two down. Cal Heydon would then go on and walk to put the bases loaded. After two passed balls, both Oswald and Baker would score to go up 3-0. On a throwing error to first, another run of Heydon would cross home and put the Crusaders up 4-0.
CAM would start off the top of the third with a single from Zach Kaufman and would eventually be thrown on a pickoff to put an out on the board. McKee would get on the bases with a walk and would be left stranded. Coon Rapids-Bayard would go on to add two more runs in the bottom of the third on a sac fly from Cade Behrens and Mason Culbertson would score after Cal Heydon hit a single to give him an RBI and the team a 6-0 lead.
The fourth inning was CAM’s chance to get a run going but would feature back-to-back strikeouts and a walk by Brody Paulsen. Makade Paulsen would get a single and put two on with two outs. After a pickoff attempt went haywire, Makade would advance to third, but both Paulsens would be left stranded after a flyout to right. Coon Rapids-Bayard would then bat around the horn in the bottom of the fourth with key hits from Ty Heydon, Parker Hays, and Jace Baker that would eventually lead to some additional runs. Behrens would pick up his second RBI on a sac fly and the Crusaders would walk three times and go on to score five runs to go up 11-0.
It all came up to the fifth inning where the Cougars put two runners on with no outs. Unfortunately for CAM, they would hit two flyouts and would strikeout to finish the ballgame. Head Coach Drew Ticknor knew that his boys didn’t play their style of baseball, but was proud of the team to reach the district championship.
In a positive light for the Cougars, Carson McKee played well with some key plays at first base and left field while going 1-2 at the plate with a walk for CAM.
For both Jack Follmann and Brody Paulsen, they played in the last ballgame of their high school career. Both of these seniors were essential to the success that CAM had throughout the regular season and postseason as they acted as key pieces to a stellar offense.
CAM finishes their season with a 15-9 overall record after falling to Coon Rapids-Bayard. The Crusaders will continue on to the next round as they face off against Remsen St. Marys to launch their ticket to the state tournament.
(Click below to listen to this article)
