Ramblers record 20th win in wild victory

Nothing has been easy lately for the Ramblers, and Sunday's Prairie League contest at Zwingle was no different. Key West (20-6) overcame a rash of hit-batters that highlighted a five-run Zwingle fifth inning to pull out a wild, 11-9, victory.

Dan Spain, who relieved Key West starting pitcher Greg Farrey, took over with two men on and no outs in the bottom of the fifth as the Ramblers clung to a 5-4 lead. Spain promptly hit the first four batters he faced before getting a groundout to third and a double play to bring the inning to an end. Zwingle led 9-5.

After going down quietly in the sixth, the Ramblers brought 12 men to the plate as part of a six-run seventh inning. Cory Davidson's RBI double knocked home the first run of the inning, facilitating the game-deciding rally. Key West needed just three hits in the frame as it took advantage of six walks in the inning. Travis Lyons, who relieved Chris Winner after the first two men reached in the seventh, was tagged with the loss.

Farrey settled in after a shaky first inning and gave the Ramblers solid work in the second, third and fourth innings. But he appeared to be tiring in the fifth and was lifted for Spain. In total, Key West pitchers allowed only four hits, but surrendered four walks and five hit-batsmen. However, Spain pitched effectively in the sixth and seventh innings in nabbing his fourth win.

While Key West pitchers struggled at times, its hitters responded with a big offensive day. Chris Briggs (3-for-5), Cory Davidson (2-for-4) and Dan Spain (2-for-5) collected multiple hits, contributing to a 10-hit Rambler output. Six of those hits were doubles. Briggs, Kenny Capesius, Tim Carty, Davidson, Jared Munson and Spain each tallied one double.

The Ramblers begin a three games in three days stretch on Tuesday when they play Dubuque at Petrakis in a 7 p.m. tussle. Briggs, Davidson and Munson will be in action tonight in the semi-pro all-star game at Dyersville. The all-star game starts at 5 p.m.

Ramblers stifled by Doty again

Dubuque hurler Ryan Doty continues to assert himself as one of the area's top pitchers as he shut down the Ramblers again in a seven-inning complete game Friday night. Doty's brilliance allowed Dubuque to take a 5-1 decision over Key West in the first round of the Rickardsville Tournament.

Doty's performance was eerily similar to his May 28 victory over the Ramblers when he also gave up just one run in seven innings at the Bellevue Tournament. On Friday, Doty recorded nine strikeouts and held Key West to just four hits on the night.

The Ramblers (19-6) got on the board first in the top of the opening inning when Chris Briggs' fielder's choice grounder knocked in Dan Spain, who had singled with one out. But Dubuque responded in the bottom half of the first with three runs off of Key West starter Ben Cottrell. Five singles and a walk led to the big first inning for Dubuque.

B.J. Juergens then added a two-run homer in the bottom of the second to make it 5-1, the eventual final score. The two teams could manage only five hits combined in the final five innings as Doty got tougher and Cottrell settled in for Key West.

Dubuque's Aaron Saeugling was the only player on either team to notch multiple hits. Saeugling went 3-for-4 to lead the Blues.

Key West will be back in action on Sunday when it plays Zwingle in a 12 p.m. road game. At 5 p.m. Sunday, Chris Briggs, Cory Davidson and Jared Munson will take the field in Dyersville as all-star representatives for the Ramblers.

Capesius delivers game-winning hit in extra-inning win

Kenny Capesius continues to surprise for a Key West Ramblers team that has shown considerable depth this season. Capesius' RBI single put Key West up 3-2 in the eighth inning (scheduled for seven innings) and proved to be the game-winner in a 4-3 road victory over Dyersville on Wednesday night.

Both teams were held scoreless until Dyersville finally broke through with a single run in the fifth inning off of Rambler starter Dan Spain. Key West (19-5) answered right back with a Chris Briggs solo blast in the top of the sixth to tie the score, 1-1.

Matt Knabel then gave the Ramblers a 2-1 lead with a RBI fielder's choice that scored Cam Stewart. Stewart (single), Jared Munson (single) and Spain (walk) had loaded the bases with one out prior to Knabel's RBI grounder. But Dyersville matched that run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to an eighth inning.

That's when Capesius shined brightest. Davidson led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on Justin Kuhle's sacrifice bunt. Capesius then followed with his sixth RBI of the season. Cottrell added what turned out to be a crucial insurance run with a RBI double to score Capesius and give Key West a 4-2 lead.

After a Dustin Jaque double to begin the bottom of the eighth, Spain was lifted for Cottrell, who began the game at first base. Cottrell allowed Jaque to score, but struck out Beau Ellison with two on and two outs to end the rally.

Spain pitched seven strong innings, giving up three earned runs while striking out six in grabbing the win. Cottrell, who had a pair of doubles at the plate, was credited with his first save of the season after closing the door in the eighth.

The Ramblers open up play in the Rickardsville Tournament on Friday at 7 p.m. against Dubuque. It will mark the third time this season Key West will take on Dubuque in the first round of a tournament.

2011 Rickardsville Tournament Bracket

The 2011 Rickardsville Tournament gets underway Tuesday at 7 p.m. as Worthington and Placid square off. The Ramblers begin play at Rickardsville on Friday against rival Dubuque at 7 p.m. Key West is 2-1 this season versus Dubuque, with all three games having been decided by one run. The complete bracket is above. Click on the image to enlarge.

Meet the 2011 All-Stars

Three Key West Ramblers were selected to play in this season's semi-pro all-star game, the Telegraph Herald announced on Wednesday. The Ramblers' three selections are the most in team history.

Cory Davidson, who holds or is tied for the team-lead in batting average (.397), home runs (4), RBIs (20) and slugging percentage (.616), will start in left field for the EIHL. Chris Briggs (.397, 1 HR, 20 RBI), will serve as the DH, while Jared Munson (.301, 13 RBI, 14 SB) was chosen as a reserve outfielder.

The game will take place on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Dyersville's Jenk Field. Complete all-star rosters are listed below.

EIHL:

Coach: Jeff Hoerner, Dubuque

Starting Pitcher: Matt Sharp, Dubuque

C: Austin Brown, Dyersville

1B: Roamn Hummel, Cascade

2B: Ryan Doty, Dubuque

3B: Aaron Saeugling, Dubuque

SS: Evan Felton, Monticello

LF: Cory Davidson, Key West

CF: Marty Sutherland, Cascade

RF: Andy Seabrooke, Farley

DH: Chris Briggs, Key West

Reserves: OF Tim Andrews (Cascade), OF Mike Canavello (Dyersville), OF Dustin Jacque (Dyersville), 1B Chris Kerper (Farley), 3B Bill Schmitt (Farley), OF Jared Munson (Key West), P/SS Tim Felderman (Rickardsville), OF Ryan Mabe (Rickardsville), C Ben Ogden (Worthington).

Prairie League:

Coach: Dan Melloy, Bernard

Starting Pitcher: Justin Eissens, Bellevue

C: Ron Manthe, Zwingle

1B: Brett Featherston, Epworth

2B: Cole Lyons, Zwingle

3B: Chet Knake, Bellevue

SS: Mike Griebel, Bellevue

LF: Eric Osweiler, Bernard

CF: Bill Albee, East Dubuque

RF: Kyle Behnke, Balltown

DH: Nate Ramler, Peosta

Reserves: 2B Ben Urbain (Balltown), SS Brennan Melloy (Bernard), SS Alex Larson (East Dubuque), P Nick Schulz (Epworth), SS J.J. Connolly (Epworth), C Mitch Gotto (Peosta), C Zach Althaus (Peosta), 3B Matt Moore (Placid), 2B Craig Lyons (Zwingle).

Four-run seventh keys dramatic holiday victory

Down to their final out in the top of the seventh with a runner at second base and trailing 7-4, a third straight loss for the Ramblers appeared inevitable. But an improbable four-run rally, highlighted by Matt Knabel's two-run rocket shot, game-tying single, carried Key West (18-5) to an 8-7 road victory over Balltown in Sunday afternoon's Prairie League duel.

Cam Stewart got the seventh inning started with a line-drive base hit to right field. Jared Munson and Dan Spain were promptly retired with Stewart standing at second base with two outs. Three consecutive walks surrendered by Balltown starting pitcher Jordan Bahls to Tim Carty, Chris Briggs and Cory Davidson forced home a run, making it a 7-5 ballgame. Knabel then followed with a single to left field to chase home Carty and Briggs. Back-to-back walks by Roberto Rivero and Kenny Capesius pushed across the go-ahead tally.

The near-miraculous two-out rally made a winner of Key West starter Curt Dixon (3-0), who battled through seven complete innings. Dixon scattered 12 hits, which included several ground balls through the infield, and gave up four earned runs to go with six strikeouts. Dixon recorded the final out of the game with runners at second and third when Davidson charged in to make a basket catch of Brady Breitbach's blooper to right field.

The Ramblers got out to a 3-0 lead after the first two innings. Carty's RBI double and Briggs' sacrifice fly, both in the first, made it 2-0. Stewart singled in Rivero in the second to grow the lead to 3-0 before Balltown scored seven unanswered runs to go up 7-3 after five innings. Brigg's RBI single in the sixth chopped the deficit to 7-4 to set up the game-winning outburst in the final inning.

Stewart finished 3-for-4 with one run, one RBI and a stolen base. Carty stayed red-hot with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Knabel also recorded two hits for Key West. Kyle Behnke led Balltown with three singles of his own.

Up next for the Ramblers is Wednesday's 7 p.m. EIHL battle at Dyersville.

Farley tops Ramblers in thriller

Tim Carty's monstrous sixth-inning solo home run staked Key West to a 7-6 lead as the Ramblers came back from a 6-0 deficit in Saturday afternoon's battle with Farley. But the Farley Hawks responded with four runs in the top of the seventh and came away with a 10-7 victory at Table Mound Field in Key West.

Carty crushed a high fastball from Farley reliever Andy Seabrooke with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Ramblers the momentum in a game they trailed by six runs after two innings. Unfortunately, Key West reliever Jared Munson, who pitched a near-perfect fourth, fifth and sixth in spelling starter Cory Davidson, tired in the seventh and was tagged with the loss.

Farley's Jesse Lawler poked a two-run homer just over the left-field fence in the top of the seventh to put the Hawks back in the lead at 8-7. Later in the inning, Craig Kerper cracked a two-run single to give Farely a three-run cushion.

The Ramblers (17-5) put runners on first and third in the bottom of the seventh, but Seabrooke coaxed a double-play grounder to grab the win and end the ballgame.

Justin Kuhle led Key West with three hits (all singles), while also driving in three runs. Kuhle's two-run single in the fourth put the Ramblers within three runs and sparked a four-run fourth inning. Kuhle later added a RBI single to tie the game in the fifth. Munson (2-for-3 with a double) and Carty (2-for-4) also collected multiple hits.

Key West starting pitcher Cory Davidson made it just three innings as he struggled with control in his first start on the mound this season. Munson made his first appearance on the bump in 2011 and pitched well until the final inning.

The Ramblers travel to play Balltown at noon on Sunday in a Prairie League contest. Curt Dixon will get the ball for Key West.