Urban Cowboys Turn the Lights Out on Last Call Rick Axthelm Earns MVP Honor
Anacostia Park, D.C., Aug. 5 - From an undulating, makeshift field - located at
the banks of the scenic Anacostia River -- the Urban Cowboys pulled together
what some consider their best performance of the 1999 softball season surpassing
Last Call by a score of 16-10.
"I've never felt better about a win," commented Cowboys' skipper Bryan
Jacobs. "Our defense was tight and we didn't make a lot of mistakes -
that's what it's going to take to do well in post season. The bottom line,
though, was our women were much better than their women."
Two outstanding defensive plays, and a remarkable inside the park home run,
earned first time third baseman Rick Axthelm an MVP honor here in the
dilatory part of the season. "I told coach before the game that I felt
comfortable playing any position...little did I know that I would pull out a Cal
Ripken-like display of third-basemenship."
On the offensive side Axthelm hit a shot to straight away center field that
fell well short of outstretched arms of the opponents fielder. The well
placed poke brought in three runs for the Cowboys during a very productive
fifth inning. "I knew in the back of my mind what Mark McGwire was doing in St.
Louis. That's when I decided my skills would be wasted keeping the ball in the
park. I just broke out the whooping stick and took it to 'em."
Equally sterling offensive and defensive performances were displayed by left
fielder, and the always controversial, Elloitt Keiffer. "This was the game that
I had to prove myself. I had to get the monkey off my back from the last
outing." Keiffer was referring to getting picked off at first base during the
last game -- an almost unheard of feat in softball. Although Keifer was nailed
at home plate after blowing by third base, to the chagrin of coach Jacobs, he
muscled a much needed triple to score three runs and made some exceptional
defensive plays.
"Keiffer made some great strides tonight," exclaimed Jacobs. "He plays with a
great deal of enthusiasm and energy -- you can't take that away from him. It
would be great if he could channel some of that energy into his day job."
The Urban Cowboys are now 11-6 on the year and are hopeful that they will
return to the post season tournament which begins August 23. The next game
on the schedule for Thursday, August 12, is Shays Lounge.
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