2013 schedule released

The 2013 Key West Ramblers schedule has been released. Key West will open the season on Friday at the EIHL Preseason Tournament against Dyersville. That game will be held in Rickardsville at 7 p.m.

The slate includes 15 Prairie League games, 14 EIHL contests and two tournament games that have already been scheduled. Additional tournament games will be added to the schedule as the brackets are released.

View the 2013 schedule HERE. The schedule link will be available throughout the season at the top right of the page.

Fake-to-third, throw-to-first abolished

In accordance with Major League Baseball's adoption of rule 8.05b, both the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye and Prairie Leagues have agreed to ban the fake-to-third, throw-to-first pick off move. This action may or may not be allowed at town-hosted tournaments depending on the discretion of tournament officials. The adoption of this new rule is mandated for all league games.

Major League Baseball rule 8.05b (Page 77: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2013/official_baseball_rules.pdf):

"If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when the pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first or third base and fails to complete the throw."

EIHL Preseason Tournament bracket released

Key West will begin play in the EIHL Preseason Tournament on Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m. The third-seeded Ramblers will take on sixth-seeded Dyersville in the first round. Key West went 3-1 against Dyersville in last season's four meetings. The entire tournament will unfold in Rickardsville.

View the rest of the bracket HERE.

Bellevue Tournament pairings announced

The Ramblers will meet a familiar foe when they begin play in the Bellevue Tournament on Sunday, May 26. Key West has drawn Dubuque in a first-round matchup set to begin at 1:30 p.m. The Ramblers went 3-6 last season in nine meetings with the Blues.

Check out the entire bracket below. The complete 2013 schedule will be released at a later date.

2013 Key West Ramblers program

Click the graphic to view the 2013 Rambler program

Redman off to hot start for Crusaders

Right-handed pitcher Andrew Redman has carried over his mound dominance from last summer as a Rambler to this spring as a Clarke University Crusader. Redman has won all four of his starts in 2013 - his first year as a Crusader. He was recently named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Through 20 innings of work, Redman has fanned 25 hitters and allowed only five runs on 15 hits and five walks. The junior, a former Iowa Central Community College hurler, sports an ERA of 1.35. His 10.71 strikeouts per nine innings rank 20th among all NAIA pitchers nationally.

Last summer Redman starred as one of the top pitchers on the Eastern Iowa semi-pro circuit. He went 8-1 with a 1.35 ERA in 60 innings pitched. He allowed only 35 hits and 20 walks to go along with 62 punch outs.

Dan Spain, a member of the Ramblers since 2007, is in his first full season as head coach at Clarke. Another Rambler, Sean O'Connor, serves as the Crusader pitching coach.

Rambler steak fundraiser to support 'Ride for Kids'

Not only will the Key West Ramblers' steak dinner fundraiser support team financial needs, it will also raise money for Ride for Kids. The Ride for Kids organization serves to "eliminate the challenges of childhood brain tumors by funding medical research and family support programs."

As part of the April 7 fundraiser at Kalmes Restaurant, Rambler players will tend bar with all tips going to Ride for Kids. The steak dinner fundraiser is set to run from 4-8 p.m. See additional details in the previous blog post.