2016 PHOTO GALLERY
The Key West Ramblers were about as close to unbeatable as it gets over the course of the 2016 season. They exceeded a team record for wins in a single season while going 49-7 overall and 24-2 in league games. Not only that, Key West won five tournaments, placed third in two others and also finished first in the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye League during the regular season. The Ramblers outscored their opponents by a combined total of 361-151.
No single player was more reliable than Nick Woltkamp, who missed just one game all season. The product of Clarke University broke team single-season pitching records for games (23), games started (18), wins (14) and innings pitched (122.2). He was rewarded with a nod as the EIHL all-star game starting pitcher. In addition, he handled the bat exceptionally well, hitting .350 with a .432 on-base percentage while adding a team high 16 stolen bases.
Another record was broken by Ryan Siems, who enjoyed a big season in the middle of the order. His 66 hits eclipsed the former single-season standard of 65 set by Chris Briggs in 2012. Siems posted a slash line of .415/.464/.642 and hit four home runs, 18 doubles, three triples and drove in 39 runs. Siems was one of eight regular contributors that hit better than .300 for the Ramblers.
Though his season was cut short due to injury, Andrew Redman hit .439, got on-base at a .548 clip and cracked three homers, seven doubles and drove in 19 runs. His batting average and on-base figures are both new team records. There were additional big individual seasons turned in by Brett LaMere (.325, 4 HR, 48 RBI, .421 OBP), Anthony Razo (.345, 13 2B, .443 OBP), Ben Oglesby (.314, 31 RBI, 11 SB, .407 OBP) and Anthony Ruden (.345, .435 OBP). Redman and Ruden also represented the Ramblers at the all-star game.
Meanwhile, Woltkamp was the leader of a pitching staff that put up a 2.56 ERA over 373 innings. Before moving to Washington, D.C., Kenny Capesius registered a 1.32 ERA and 6-1 record while working 34 innings. Redman and Ruden were also dominant in limited work on the mound for a group of Rambler hurlers that limited opposing hitters to a .207 batting average.
As part of a memorable season, Key West put together separate winning streaks of 18 and 12. The 18-game win streak broke the team record. Along the way, the Ramblers got monkeys off their back by winning the Bellevue and Peosta tournaments for the first time ever. They also repeated titles in Dysersville (second), Farley (third) and in the Prairie League (fourth).
The 2016 campaign was a continuation of a dominant run for the Ramblers, who are now 367-210-1 since the team resurfaced in 2004. Over the past three years, Key West has gone a combined 127-35-1. The Ramblers have clearly established themselves as an elite team in Eastern Iowa semi-pro baseball.
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