An exciting 2-1 victory over Epworth in Wednesday's Prairie League semifinal game, which ended when Dan Spain was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, vaulted the Ramblers (34-13) into Friday's 7 p.m. championship duel with Farley at Farley Park. A win over Farley would give the Ramblers their second Prairie League title in four years.To reach Friday's championship, the Ramblers relied on a season-long strength - stellar pitching. Ben Cottrell had masterful stuff on Wednesday against Epworth. The right-hander worked around five walks in six innings, giving up just one run and one hit. He baffled Epworth hitters to the tune of 12 strikeouts.
But Epworth starting pitcher Nick Schultz was up to the task. He held Key West scoreless all the way up until the fifth inning. That's when Cory Davidson led off with a double and scored three batters later when an error allowed Cody Leach to reach base. Davidson's run tied the score at 1-1.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh. After Ryan Kelly flied out to begin the inning, Cottrell and Leach both singled and Jared Munson walked to bring up Spain, who was then nailed by a pitch to force home the game-winning run.
The walk-off victory made a winner out of Kelly, who relieved Cottrell in the seventh. Kelly continued his dominant work on the mound by retiring all three hitters he faced.
Munson and Tim Carty each went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles to lead Key West, which is now 11-6 in one-run games.
Wednesday's playoff game marked the fifth-straight year the Ramblers have advanced to the the Prairie League playoffs. Key West is the only team to have gone to the playoffs in both the Prairie League and the EIHL in each of the last five seasons.
Key West is 6-1 against Farley this season and 2-0 versus Farley in games played at Farley Park. Overall, The Ramblers are 7-0 at Farley Park in 2011, including the Farley Tournament, which the Ramblers won by trumping Epworth in the tournament title game.
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