Ramblers run out of gas

The Ramblers came down from the high of winning Saturday's Dyersville Tournament championship game with a sluggish performance on Sunday in the semifinals of the EIHL Championships. Key West (38-11) was vying for its third-straight appearance in the EIHL title game, but simply had little left in the tank and fell 7-2 to Cascade in the day's first semifinal matchup.

Sunday's game, which marked the seventh in the last nine days for the Ramblers, went Cascade's way from the very beginning. Cascade held Key West scoreless in the top of the first and then jumped on top immediately with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Run-scoring singles by Tim Andrews and Reagen Takes highlighted the onslaught off of Rambler starting pitcher Spencer Kuehn.

The Reds later added a run in the third and two more in the fifth to put the contest out of reach at 7-0. Finally, Key West got on the board when Tim Carty smacked a two-run homer, his third of the season, in the top of the sixth to cap all scoring on the afternoon.

Kuehn tossed the first four innings, giving up six hits, three walks and five runs (all earned) while fanning three. Aaron Collins, one of the heroes of Saturday's title victory, worked the final two innings and allowed two unearned runs.

Second basemen Andrew Redman, who went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, was the only Rambler to record at least two hits in the game.

Key West is now 4-2 against Cascade this season.

The Ramblers will close the 2012 season with the Prairie League Championships and the Peosta Tournament. Pairings for the Prairie League Championships will be posted upon announcement. Key West drew Dyersville in the first round of the Peosta Tournament. That game is set for Aug. 19 at 7 p.m.


EIHL Championships Results

Semifinals:
Cascade 7, Key West 2
Dubuque 9, Rickardsville 1

Championship:
Dubuque 6, Cascade 2