For the sixth time in eight seasons, Key West has reached the 30-win plateau. The Ramblers moved to 30-7-1 overall thanks to a pair of home Prairie League wins in Sunday's afternoon action. They defeated Holy Cross, 12-0, and Bernard, 8-5. Key West is 11-1 in Prairie League play.
Since the start of the 2008 season, Key West owns an overall record 241-106-1 (.694). The Ramblers set a team record for wins in a season in 2012 when they went 40-12 overall and won Dyersville Tournament, Worthington Tournament and Prairie League championships.
Key West never trailed in either of Sunday's games. Starting pitchers Brett LaMere (6 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 6 K) and Sam Noel (6 IP, 5 H, BB, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 K) both picked up their first victories of the season. Jake Schaeffer went 2-for-3 in both games for the Ramblers. In the second contest, Anthony Ruden went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.
Key West will return to action on Wednesday for round two of the Cascade Tournament. The Ramblers take on the Dubuque Blues at 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Saturday, July 18, 2015
LaMere walk-off blast lifts Ramblers at Cascade Tourney
Brett LaMere spoiled Andy Seabrooke's no-hitter by delivering a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to propel Key West to 1-0 victory over Farley in the first round of the Cascade Tournament on Friday night. The Ramblers (28-7-1) are seeking their first-ever Cascade Tournament championship on the heels of winning the Rickardsville Tournament on July 12.Seabrooke, who fanned 23 Ramblers in Key West's 5-4, 10-inning win at the Rickardsville tourney on July 7, pitched masterfully once again. Only two runners reached base all night (two errors, one walk) off the dominant lefty until LaMere went deep for his team-leading fourth homer of the season in the seventh. In his previous six at bats against Seabrooke, LaMere had gone 0-for-6 with five strikeouts.
Anthony Ruden matched Seabrooke zero for zero. Ruden tossed all seven innings for the Ramblers, surrendering only three hits and a walk while striking out eight. The Upper Iowa University hurler lowered his ERA to 1.36. Opponents are hitting just .123 (19-for-155) this season against Ruden.
LaMere is now hitting .326 with team highs in home runs (4), RBIs (19) and slugging percentage (.537). Ruden tops the Ramblers with a .373 batting average.
The Ramblers have now won all four meetings this season with Farley, including three by just one run. Key West is 9-2 in games decided by a single run.
The Ramblers host Holy Cross (1:30 p.m.) and Bernard (3:30 p.m.) in Peosta on Sunday (July 19). They return to action at the Cascade Tournament on Wednesday (July 22) when they go head-to-head with Dubuque at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Ramblers take Rickardsville Tourney, win No. 300
The Ramblers completed their first-ever Rickardsville Tournament championship run by toppling the host, 8-0, in Sunday evening's title game. Anthony Ruden tossed eight shutout innings before giving way to Nick Woltkamp for the ninth. The victory moved Key West to 26-5-1 overall this season and to 300-194-1 since rejoining the eastern Iowa semi-pro baseball circuit in 2004.
In their four games at the Rickardsville Tournament, which included a 19-team field this time around, the Ramblers defeated the Dubuque Packers, 5-0, Farley, 5-4 (10 innings), Epworth, 2-1 (nine innings) and Rickardsville.
Shortstop Dan Spain went 3-for-5 with a home run in the title game and was named the tournament's MVP. Brett LaMere was a perfect 5-for-5 with two doubles.
"We had a pretty tough road to get here, but what's nice about this team is we consistently compete," Spain told the Telegraph Herald. "We go out there and give it everything we have let baseball run its course. From top to bottom, we have the kind of pitching that keeps us in games and gives us a chance to compete.
"Tonight was kind of nice, because it was the first time in a couple of weeks we didn't have to come from behind late in a game. We got some big two-out hits that gave us the lead."
Luis Ravelo and Ben Oglesby notched two hits each. As a team, the Ramblers collected 13 hits and knocked Rickardsville starter Joey Lehmann out of the game after three innings of work. On the other side, Ruden sturck out eight and scattered four hits and four walks.
Key West needed extra innings to put away its previous two opponents at the Rickardsville Tournament. Spain also homered in the sixth inning of the win over Epworth, tying the score at 1-1. Then in the bottom of the ninth, Andrew Redman belted a walk-off blast. Spain started the game on the mound for the Ramblers.
ALL-STAR GAME: In Saturday's all-star game, John Knabel coached the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye League to a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Prairie League. Chris Briggs earned MVP honors after tying the game with a two-run double in the top of the ninth. Andrew Redman and Dan Spain also represented Key West in the all-star game.
In their four games at the Rickardsville Tournament, which included a 19-team field this time around, the Ramblers defeated the Dubuque Packers, 5-0, Farley, 5-4 (10 innings), Epworth, 2-1 (nine innings) and Rickardsville.
Shortstop Dan Spain went 3-for-5 with a home run in the title game and was named the tournament's MVP. Brett LaMere was a perfect 5-for-5 with two doubles.
"We had a pretty tough road to get here, but what's nice about this team is we consistently compete," Spain told the Telegraph Herald. "We go out there and give it everything we have let baseball run its course. From top to bottom, we have the kind of pitching that keeps us in games and gives us a chance to compete.
"Tonight was kind of nice, because it was the first time in a couple of weeks we didn't have to come from behind late in a game. We got some big two-out hits that gave us the lead."
Luis Ravelo and Ben Oglesby notched two hits each. As a team, the Ramblers collected 13 hits and knocked Rickardsville starter Joey Lehmann out of the game after three innings of work. On the other side, Ruden sturck out eight and scattered four hits and four walks.
Key West needed extra innings to put away its previous two opponents at the Rickardsville Tournament. Spain also homered in the sixth inning of the win over Epworth, tying the score at 1-1. Then in the bottom of the ninth, Andrew Redman belted a walk-off blast. Spain started the game on the mound for the Ramblers.
ALL-STAR GAME: In Saturday's all-star game, John Knabel coached the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye League to a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Prairie League. Chris Briggs earned MVP honors after tying the game with a two-run double in the top of the ninth. Andrew Redman and Dan Spain also represented Key West in the all-star game.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Ramblers overcome 23 Seabrooke K's to win wild tourney affair
Key West spent much of the night flailing away in the face of a dominant pitching performance by Farley left-hander Andy Seabrooke. But a clutch two-run homer by Rambler first baseman Chris Briggs and a late unearned run allowed the Ramblers (22-5-1) to steal a win in the second round of the Rickardsville Tournament on Tuesday night.
With Seabrook's strikeout total up to 15 and two outs in the top of the seventh, Farley led 4-2. Briggs then blasted a dramatic two-run shot (30th career homer) off Seabrooke to knot the score. Three innings later, Andrew Redman raced home from third when Luis Ravelo's grounder to second with two outs was misplayed.
There would be no further drama in the bottom of the 10th. Nick Woltkamp finished off a 10-inning complete game by retiring the heart of the Farley lineup in order. Woltkamp (7-1) allowed just two earned runs on six hits and four walks. He struck out seven on the way to his sixth complete game.
The Ramblers jumped on top of Seabrooke early with Redman's two-run homer in the top of the first. Redman was the only Rambler (2-for-5) to collect multiple hits. Briggs finished 1-for-2 with three walks.
Seabrooke racked up an impressive 23 strikeouts over his 10 innings of work. Three of the five hits he allowed went for extra base hits, including the two long balls.
Key West returns to action on Thursday (July 9) when it plays an EIHL contest at Worthington. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Ramblers pick up action on Friday in the semifinals of the Rickardsville Tournament. They will take on Epworth at 7 p.m.
NOTE: Key West needs four more wins to reach 300 victories since returning to the semi-pro scene in 2004. Since then, the Ramblers own an overall record of 296-194-1.
With Seabrook's strikeout total up to 15 and two outs in the top of the seventh, Farley led 4-2. Briggs then blasted a dramatic two-run shot (30th career homer) off Seabrooke to knot the score. Three innings later, Andrew Redman raced home from third when Luis Ravelo's grounder to second with two outs was misplayed.
There would be no further drama in the bottom of the 10th. Nick Woltkamp finished off a 10-inning complete game by retiring the heart of the Farley lineup in order. Woltkamp (7-1) allowed just two earned runs on six hits and four walks. He struck out seven on the way to his sixth complete game.
The Ramblers jumped on top of Seabrooke early with Redman's two-run homer in the top of the first. Redman was the only Rambler (2-for-5) to collect multiple hits. Briggs finished 1-for-2 with three walks.
Seabrooke racked up an impressive 23 strikeouts over his 10 innings of work. Three of the five hits he allowed went for extra base hits, including the two long balls.
Key West returns to action on Thursday (July 9) when it plays an EIHL contest at Worthington. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Ramblers pick up action on Friday in the semifinals of the Rickardsville Tournament. They will take on Epworth at 7 p.m.
NOTE: Key West needs four more wins to reach 300 victories since returning to the semi-pro scene in 2004. Since then, the Ramblers own an overall record of 296-194-1.
Monday, July 6, 2015
LaMere homers for second-straight game; Ruden shuts out Packers
Key West did all of its offensive damage in the second and third innings. Luis Ravelo collected an RBI single and Ben Oglesby (bases-loaded hit by pitch) and Dan Spain (bases-loaded walk) forced in runs as part of a three-run second frame. LaMere then connected on a two-run blast (third home run of the season) an inning later.
Ruden took it from there. He retired the first seven Packer hitters before a third-inning single. Ruden did not allow another hit until the seventh inning. The Rambler righty walked just one and struck out eight in one of his best performances of his semi-pro career.
Key West managed just three hits of its own. Chris Briggs was responsible for the Ramblers' additional hit. He doubled and scored on LaMere's homer.
The Ramblers have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Rickardsville Tournament. Key West has advanced to take on Farley in Rickardsville at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday (July 7).
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