O'Connor dazzles in Rambler debut

Sean O'Connor shined brightly in his first start on the mound with Key West. The Oregon native tossed five innings of one-hit, shut out baseball as the Ramblers again overpowered the opposition in a run-rule victory Sunday night. Key West (3-0) blanked Dyersville 8-0 in the first round of the EIHL playoffs.

At the plate, first baseman Chris Briggs cracked two hits, including a back-breaking three-run homer in the fourth inning that greeted Dyersville reliever Spencer Radabough and pushed the Key West advantage to 8-0.

Designated hitter Mike Jimenez stayed hot with a 2-for-3 night. Jimenez knocked home a pair of runs and scored once. Shortstop Dan Spain also turned in yet another multiple hit game, going 2-for-3 with a stolen base and a run. Center fielder Jared Munson added a two-run single in the second.

With the win, the Ramblers advance to play Cascade in the semifinal round of the tournament. That game will take place Friday at 7 p.m. in Dyersville.

Jimenez goes deep thrice as Ramblers roll

Michael Jimenez (right) is congratulated by teammates after smacking his third home run of the game in Sunday's 18-1 victory over Placid.

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Michael Jimenez became the first Key West Rambler to homer three times in one game as Key West routed Placid 18-1 on Sunday afternoon.

Jimenez connected on solo shots to left field in both the bottom of the first and in the bottom of the second. He then capped off his four-hit, six RBI game with a grand slam to deep left center in the sixth.

Tim Carty started the home run parade in the first with a long two-run blast to left field. Jimenez's home run immediately after marked the first back-to-back homer occurrence in Rambler history. Two batters later, catcher Matt Knabel crushed a two-run homer of his own to left center. Key West sent 12 hitters to the plate in an eight-run first inning.

The Ramblers (2-0) totaled 21 hits in the seven-inning, run-rule shortened affair. Six players collected multiple hits, including Jimenez (4-for-5), Dan Spain (4-for-5), Toby Decker (3-for-5), Knabel (3-for-5), Cory Davidson (2-for-5) and Jared Munson (2-for-5).

On the mound, Cole Boge went 4.1 innings to get the win in his first start of the season. Boge allowed one run (none earned) and struck out five while surrendering only two hits. Ethan Carlson pitched the final 2.2 innings in relief. He struck out four and gave up just a two-out walk in the sixth.

The Ramblers will play a second game today at 6 p.m. versus Dyersville at Jenk Field as part of the EIHL Tournament.

Tonight's tournament game re-scheduled for Sunday

Tonight's EIHL Tournament contest between Key West and Dyersville has been re-scheduled due to wet conditions at Jenk Field. The two teams will instead meet Sunday at 6 p.m. in a first round tournament match up at Dyersville.

Sunday's 1:30 p.m. Prairie League game versus Placid at Table Mound Field will be played as scheduled.

In Friday night's EIHL Tournament action, Cascade prevailed over Monticello and Dubuque defeated Rickardsville. The winner of Key West and Dyersville will advance to take on Cascade on May 20 at 7 p.m. Dubuque will draw the winner between Farley and Worthington.

EIHL Tournament Schedule

The Ramblers begin play in this year's Eastern Iowa Hawkeye League Tournament on Saturday at 6 p.m. versus Dyersville. Dyersville's Jenk Field will be the site for all tournament games.

Here is a look at the EIHL Tournament schedule:

May 13

Cascade vs. Monticello, 7 p.m.

Dubuque vs. Rickardsville, 7 p.m.

May 14

Key West vs. Dyersville, 6 p.m.

Farley vs. Worthington, 7:30 p.m.

May 20

Key West/Dyersville vs. Cascade/Monticello, 7 p.m.

Farley/Worthington vs. Dubuque/Rickardsville, 8:30 p.m.

May 21

Consolation, 6 p.m.

Championship, 7:30 p.m.

Ramblers cruise in season opener

Three Key West pitchers combined for 19 strikeouts in a seven-inning 15-0 victory over Bankston in the Ramblers' season opener at Table Mound Field on Sunday.

Key West starting pitcher Ryan Kelly threw four hitless innings, striking out 11 of the 13 batters he faced in picking up the win. Relievers Ethan Carlson and Sean O'Connor pitched the final three innings. Carlson struck out five and allowed just one hit in two innings of work, while O'Connor struck out all three hitters he faced.

At the plate, Dan Spain picked up where he left off last season with three hits in four at bats. Toby Decker and Tyler Sincock both went 2-for-4 with a double. The Ramblers tallied 11 hits, five walks and took five hit-by-pitches on the day.

Bankston got its only hit in the fifth inning when Andy Ross doubled to center field. Bankston hitters reached base just three times the entire afternoon.

The Ramblers (1-0) now look forward to a 6 p.m. contest on Saturday at Dyersville as part of the EIHL Tournament.

How the Ramblers are doing in college baseball

2011 statistics for Ramblers currently competing in college baseball:

-Cole Boge (Loras): 2.36 ERA, 2-3 W-L, 34.1 IP, 17 K, 37 H, 5 BB, 10 G

-Ben Cottrell (Loras): 2.30 ERA, 2-1 W-L, 31.1 IP, 21 K, 30 H, 8 BB, 9 G

-Cory Davidson (Clarke): .250 BA, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .339 OBP, .333 SLG, 3 2B, 31 GP

-Greg Farrey (Loras): 9.82 ERA, 0-0 W-L, 3.2 IP, 2 K, 6 H, 2 G

-Jared Munson (Clarke): .315 BA, 0 HR, 22 RBI, .393 OBP, .371 SLG, 6 2B, 16 SB, 38 GP

-Sean O'Connor (Clarke): 1.69 ERA, 4-2 W-L, 26.2 IP, 2o K, 17 H, 3 BB, 3 SV, 16 G

-Andrew Redman (Iowa Central): 1.57 ERA, 5-1 W-L, 46 IP, 45 K, 39 H, 15 BB, 8 G

-Roberto Rivero (Clarke): .343 BA, 0 HR, 25 RBI, .403 OBP, .396 SLG, 5 2B, 38 GP

2011 Key West Ramblers Schedule

Day Date Opponent - Time (Home/Away)

Sun. May 8 ^Bankston - (Home – Key West); W, 15-0

Sun. May 15 ^Placid - (Home – Key West); W, 18-1

Sun. May 15 #Dyersville - (EIHL Tournament @Dyersville); W, 8-0

Thu. May 19 *Monticello - (Away); W, 11-3

Fri. May 20 #Cascade - (EIHL Semifinals @Dyersville); W, 10-9

Sat. May 21 #Farley - (EIHL Championship @Dyersville); W, 7-1

Sun. May 22 ^Peosta - (Home - Key West); W, 10-7

Sat. May 28 #Dubuque - (@Bellevue Tournament); L, 1-2

Thu. June 2 ^Farley - (Away); W, 5-1

Tue. June 7 *Farley - (Home – Peosta); W, 4-3 (10 innings)

Fri. June 10 *Cascade - (Away); W, 6-3

Sat. June 11 #Dubuque - (@Farley Tournament); W, 3-2

Tue. June 14 #Bellevue - (@Farley Tournament - Quarterfinals); W, 6-1 (8 innings)

Fri. June 17 #Cascade - (@Farley Tournament - Semifinals); W, 6-4

Sat. June 18 #Epworth - (@Farley Tournament - Championship); W, 10-2

Sun. June 19 ^Epworth - (Away); L, 7-8

Tue. June 21 *Rickardsville - (Home – Peosta); L, 2-4

Sat. June 25 #Farley - (@Worthington Tournament); W, 5-0

Sun. June 26 ^Bankston - (Away); W, 16-1

Tue. June 28 *Dubuque - (Home – Peosta); W, 4-3 (12 innings)

Wed. June 29 #Bellevue - (@Worthington Tournament - Quarterfinals); L, 2-3 (8 innings)

Sat. July 2 ^Farley - (Home – Key West); L, 7-10

Sun. July 3 ^Balltown - (Away); W, 8-7

Wed. July 6 *Dyersville - (Away); W, 4-3 (8 innings)

Fri. July 8 #Dubuque - (@Rickardsville Tournament); L, 1-5

Sun. July 10 ^Zwingle - (Away); W, 11-9

Wed. July 13 ^East Dubuque - (Away); W, 3-2

Thu. July 14 *Farley - (Away); W, 2-1

Sun. July 17 ^Balltown - (Home – Key West); W, 6-5

Tue. July 19 *Worthington - (Home – Peosta); W, 5-4

Mon. July 25 #Bellevue - (@Cascade Tournament); L, 1-5

Tue. July 26 *Monticello - (Home - Peosta); W, 11-1 (7 innings)

Sun. July 31 ^Placid - (Home - Key West); W, 10-3

Tue. Aug. 2 *Cascade - (Home – Peosta); L, 4-7

Wed. Aug. 3 *Dyersville - (Home - Peosta); W, 4-1

Fri. Aug. 5 *Rickardsville - (Away); W, 7-4

Sun. Aug. 7 #Farley - (@Dyersville Tournament); W, 4-1

Wed. Aug. 10 #Dubuque - (@Dyersville Tournament - quarterfinals); L, 2-9

Thu. Aug. 11 *Worthington - (Away); W, 7-4

Sat. Aug. 13 ^Bernard - (Home - Key West); L, 2-15

Sun. Aug. 14 #Cascade - (EIHL Playoff Semifinals @Petrakis Park); W, 3-1

Sun. Aug. 14 #Dubuque - (EIHL Championship @Petrakis Park); L, 2-3

Wed. Aug. 17 ^Bellevue - (Away); L, 5-6

Sat. Aug. 20 #Dubuque - (@Peosta Tournament); L, 0-1

Wed. Aug. 24 #Epworth - (Prairie League Semifinals @Farley); W, 2-1

Fri. Aug. 26 #Farley - (Prairie League Championship @Farley); W, 6-5

*Eastern Iowa Hawkeye League game

^Prairie League game

#Tournament game

--All dates and times are subject to change. Any alterations to the schedule will be noted on this blog.