Woltkamp fires gem, Crabill homers in Worthington tourney win

Nick Woltkamp tossed seven innings without allowing an earned run and Chad Crabill homered for the second-straight game as Key West (20-4) advanced to the semifinals of the 67th annual Worthington Tournament. The Ramblers won Friday's quarterfinal by a score of 4-1 over Farley.

Key West trailed 1-0 after three innings, but scored three decisive runs in the top of the fifth to gain control. The Ramblers took advantage of three Will Petroski free passes in the frame and pushed across runs on Andrew Redman's bases-loaded walk and back-to-back sacrifice flies from Crabill and first baseman Tim Carty.

An inning earlier Crabill tied the game at one apiece with his team-leading third homer of the season - a line-shot solo blast to center field. Crabill also delivered a two-run homer in the 4-3 first-round win over Dubuque on Tuesday.

The four runs of support were plenty for Woltkamp (6-1), who made his seventh start of the season. The Clarke University graduate surrendered just two hits, three walks and one unearned run in his fifth complete game effort of the year. Woltkamp retired nine Farley hitters in a row during a stretch that spanned the fourth through sixth innings. He also laid down a bunt hit during the Ramblers' three-run fifth.

Key West returns to action on Saturday (June 27) when it takes on Bellevue in the semifinals of the Worthington Tournament. First pitch is slated for 7:30 p.m. The Ramblers are looking to repeat their 2012 Worthington Tournament title.

Worthington Tournament quarterfinal pushed to Friday

Rainy conditions continue to wreak havoc on the Worthington Tournament. Thursday's scheduled quarterfinal matchup between Key West and Farley has been pushed back to Friday (June 26) at 8:30 p.m. The Ramblers (19-4) advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Dubuque, 4-3, on Tuesday night.

Spain powers fifth-straight win

Shortstop Dan Spain homered, doubled and drove in a pair of runs to help catapult Key West (19-4)
to its fifth-consecutive win. The latest victory came by a 4-3 decision over Dubuque in the first round of the 67th annual Worthington Tournament on Tuesday night. The Ramblers are now 8-2 this season in tournament action.

Key West got off to a quick start against Blues starting pitcher Mark Hennessey. Spain connected for a solo homer (16th career) to left center in the top of the first. The Ramblers used the long ball again in the second when catcher Chad Crabill went deep for a two-run shot. Four batters later Spain sent Ben Oglesby to the plate with an RBI double.

Despite a sloppy bottom of the second that let in three Dubuque runs, Key West never relinquished the lead. Neither team scored over the final five frames. Anthony Ruden fired the first four innings and got the win for the Ramblers. He was relieved by Nick Woltkamp, who tossed three scoreless innings to pick up his first save of the season.

Woltkamp was aided by stellar defensive plays turned in by both first baseman Chris Briggs and second baseman Andrew Redman. With two outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the fifth, Briggs made a diving stab moving to his left to preserve the one-run lead. Then in the seventh, Redman made a sprawling grab in right center to rob Aaron Sauegling of a leadoff hit.

Seven of the nine Rambler starters had at least one hit on Tuesday. Spain went 2-for-4 to lead the attack and help push Key West to 3-0 versus Dubuque in 2015.

The Ramblers' active five-game win streak includes victories over Placid, Worthington, Farley, East Dubuque and Dubuque. Three of the five wins have been decided by a single run. Key West is 5-1 in one-run games this season.

Up next for the Ramblers is a Worthington Tournament quarterfinal tilt with Farley on Thursday (June 25). First pitch is slated for 8:30 p.m. The two sides have met once this season with Key West winning 1-0 in 12 innings on June 17.

Key West eliminated from Farley Tournament

Bellevue walked off with a 2-1 victory over Key West on Wednesday night to eliminate the Ramblers from the Farley Tournament. Key West (14-4) had advanced to the quarterfinals of the bracket by topping Dyersville, 8-1, on June 6. A day prior to the loss to Bellevue, Key West defeated Rickardsville, 7-3, in Peosta.

In the team's latest win, both Anthony Ruden and Nick Woltkamp rapped out three hits. Ruden drove in a pair of runs and scored another. Key West spaced out its offensive attack with one run in the second, two in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth and one in the eighth.

Austin Bradley earned the win by tossing two-plus innings of relief. Sam Noel then pitched the final four innings and did not allow a single Rickardsville run while striking out five. Noel and Ruden (starting pitcher) combined for 11 strikeouts.

The Ramblers lost to Bellevue for the second time this season despite solid work from Woltkamp on the mound. He went all 6.1 innings while posting a line of four hits, two walks, two runs (both earned) and six strikeouts. On the other hand, the potent Key West lineup was limited to three hits.

After having Thursday and Friday off, the Ramblers return to action this weekend with a game at Placid on Saturday (1 p.m.) and a home contest versus Bernard at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Ramblers ride big inning to first-round win at Farley tourney

Key West (12-3) poured it on with six second-inning runs and cruised to an 8-1, five-inning win over Dyersville in the first round of the Farley Tournament on Saturday. The Ramblers are looking to repeat Farley Tournament titles from 2011 and 2014. Key West has advanced to Wednesday's (June 10) 8:30 p.m. quarterfinal game against Bellevue.

Right fielder Anthony Ruden delivered a two-run single and Luis Ravelo added an RBI single during the outburst in the second frame. Ruden 2-for-4 at the top of the lineup, backing another dominant outing from ace hurler Andrew Redman. The Clarke University standout struck out the final seven hitters he faced as part of scoreless and hitless three innings of work.

In 24 innings this season, Redman has yet to allow an earned run. He has surrendered just six hits and six walks and has struck out 49 hitters. He's also hitting .522 (12-for-23) from the middle of the Rambler lineup.

Ravelo tacked on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Key West then added the game abruptly in the bottom of the fifth when Dan Spain's fly to center was misplayed, sending home a tally that enacted the tournament's run rule.

The Ramblers are now 7-1 in 2015 tournament action. They won the EIHL preseason tournament and triumphed in the consolation game of the Bellevue Tournament.

2015 Worthington Tournament bracket

Ramblers off to 11-2 start entering Wednesday

Key West has jumped out to an 11-2 overall record, including 4-0 in Prairie League games, behind three regulars hitting above .400. NAIA All-American Andrew Redman picked up where he left off after completing his collegiate career at Clarke University. He's hitting .522 and has yet to allow an earned run in 21 innings of work.

In the team's latest outing, the Ramblers defeated Cascade, 11-4, in Tuesday's (June 2) EIHL action. Six different Ramblers pounded out two or more hits as part of a 15-hit attack. Dan Spain bumped his season average to .405 by going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in. The offensive outburst was plenty of support for starting pitcher Nick Woltkamp (4-0). He tossed eight innings and scattered eight hits and three walks while striking out seven. He allowed four runs (three earned).

Woltkamp has also excelled with the bat. He's 19-for-41 (.452) with eight RBIs and seven stolen bases in his first 11 career games with Key West. Only Redman has a higher average among teammates. The Ramblers are hitting .319 and have already swiped 18 bases through the team's opening 13 games.

Key West was set to put its undefeated Prairie League mark on the line on Wednesday (June 3) with a road game at Bellevue. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.