The Ramblers looked to avenge 2010's blowout loss to Dubuque in the EIHL championship game by reversing the outcome at the 2011 EIHL Championship on Sunday. Things looked good for Key West (33-11) when it jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two-and-a-half innings, but Dubuque battled back to grab the EIHL crown by a 3-2 score.Dan Spain threw all six innings for Key West, turning in another solid performance on the mound. He allowed only one earned run to a hot-hitting Dubuque team which took advantage of a fourth-inning error that led off the inning. In that same inning, Brian Putnam delivered the game-winning bloop two-run single to cap all scoring.
Cam Stewart put the Ramblers in front, 1-0, in the top of the second with an RBI single to score Tanner Denlinger, who is set to play baseball at Clarke University. Key West made it 2-0 in the third after Tim Carty drove in Ryan Kelly with a sacrifice fly to center field. Jeff Hoerner cut Dubuque's deficit to a single run with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.
Dubuque starting pitcher Nick Kirk went five innings to pick up the win. Kirk and reliever Ryan Doty gave up only two hits combined.
The Ramblers advanced to the championship game with Dubuque by defeating Cascade in the semifinal game earlier on Sunday at Petrakis. Ryan Kelly starred for the Ramblers, tossing a seven-inning complete-game to notch the victory. Kelly struck out nine and limited Cascade to three hits on the afternoon. At the plate, Kelly was a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored.
Stewart went 2-for-3, knocked in all three runs and stole a pair of bases. Carty also went 2-for-3 as the Ramblers returned to the EIHL championship for the second year in a row.
The Ramblers have completed play in the EIHL, but return to action Wednesday night for a 7:30 p.m. contest at Bellevue in what will be the team's final Prairie League regular season game of 2011. The Ramblers will get another shot at Dubuque on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the Peosta Tournament.
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