Ramblers run win streak to four, stage dramatic comeback at Farley Tourney

The Ramblers are in the hunt for another tournament championship. The highlight of recent action was Sunday's 4-3, come-from-behind walk-off victory over Rickardsville in the quarterfinals of the Farley Tournament. The previous day, Key West thumped Cascade, 8-0 (five innings), despite going up against University of Iowa pitcher Drake Robison. Now winners of four in a row, the Ramblers have improved to 11-5 overall (4-1 EIHL, 2-2 PL).

Trailing 3-1 and down to its final out in the bottom of the seventh in the Farley quarterfinals, Key West staged an improbable rally. Chad Crabill started it with a double. Ricky Marinez then reached, after the third strike got away from the catcher, and stole second. Anthony Razo followed with a clutch two-run single to knot the game, 3-3. Dan Spain sent the Ramblers to the semifinals by blooping a walk-off single to score Razo, who had alertly taken second base on a throw to the plate.

The first-round matchup with Cascade featured much less drama. Key West exploded for five runs in the third and three more in the fourth to take a commanding lead. The Ramblers pounded out 15 hits, including three apiece from Chris Briggs, Andrew Redman and Chad Crabill. On the mound, Redman befuddled the Reds in a five-game complete game (shortened by the run rule). The only baserunners reached via three singles. Redman struck out nine hitters without allowing a free pass.

Redman and Nick Woltkamp give John Knabel a great one-two punch in the rotation. The rubber-armed Woltkamp fired all seven innings of the win over Rickardsville. He retired eight of the first nine hitters he faced and did not surrender a run until the fifth frame. Woltkamp has already tossed 40.2 innings this season, posting a 5-1 record and 3.10 ERA. Meanwhile, Redman has yet to give up a run in his first 12 innings in 2017.

A couple of trends continued in recent action. Key West is now 11-1 in its last 12 games at the Farley Tournament with titles coming in 2014 and 2016. The Ramblers have also dominated Rickardsville, winning 18 of the last 21 meetings since the start of the 2012 season.

In league play, Key West handled Monticello, 12-6, in Peosta on Tuesday evening. Woltkamp picked up the win while working three innings in relief. Razo went 4-for-4 with three runs and a pair of RBIs. Matt Stevens tripled twice and Austin Bradley doubled twice. Redman opened up the scoring for the Ramblers with a two-run homer (second of the year) in the bottom of the first.

The quest for its fourth Farley title all-time continues on Friday when Key West goes up against Dubuque in the semifinals at 8:15 p.m. (June 16). The expected pitching matchup is Redman versus Mark Hennessy. The winner will play either Farley or Epworth in the championship game at 7 p.m. on Saturday (June 17). The Ramblers are also scheduled to host Bellevue in Peosta at 1 p.m. on Sunday in a Prairie League clash.