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.
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