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�Extra Innings�
Rev. Barry Abraham Zavah
Fans have enjoyed great Alpine Cowboys baseball this season; the team finishing with a 45-24 record and 21 games over .500 by consistently playing the best ball in the 4 years since the Cowboy brand was revived in 2009. One writer on the Pecos League website predicted a 5th place finish. They�ve been left to eat their words; but that meal might not have happened.
The last week of a tight pennant race among the top three teams started with the Cowboys all of 4/1000ths of a point ahead of 2nd place Roswell and about a half point ahead of 3rd place Las Cruces. The lead could have changed several times leaving Alpine in 3rd place without any home field advantage. Added stress occurred due to rain on the 27th, requiring back to back double headers. That wasn�t the result, each contest having significance.
The faithful want to see the Alpine Cowboys name on the league�s 2012 championship trophy and with your help to cheer the Boys to victory, that will be the result when the last play-off out is recorded. There�s hard work needed to secure the championship trophy in difficult games yet to be won in the week ahead. Let no one underestimate the Boys� best of three, first round opponents. The 4th place Trinidad Triggers gave the Cowboys a run for their runs in many a game here and away.
Cheer your Alpine Cowboys on to victory now and we�ll do the same again during the best of three championship scheduled for Sunday August 5th, the 6th, and if need be the 7th here in Kokernot Field against the winner of second place Las Cruces Vaqueros (41-29) and third place Roswell Invaders (also 42-29) last year�s Pecos League champions! Leaving Kokernot Field Tuesday night, a Roswell player said: �See you next week.� It could happen. They�ve not been a push-over, either.--------------
A good deal of feeling goes into saying: �Congratulations to the Alpine �O6� Cowboys baseball organization for the team�s 1st place Pecos League finish, the only independently, non-league owned team; from the players on the field, the coaches, the staff and volunteers on and off the diamond consisting of names too many to mention.� Special thanks go to all the fans in the stand and the host families, too.
The �too many names to mention�; include Board of Directors members GM Kristin Cavness and Treasurer and Senior Advisor, Bob Ward giving enormous units of time and energy of work. So many individuals have worked hard for little or no compensation; but for the satisfaction of doing a job and doing it very well. A couple of examples; among countless selfless acts: The interns regularly up until 4:00 in the morning doing the uniforms or the team not getting back home from last Thursday night�s double-header in El Paso and returning early Friday morning after a long drive through a portion of the area-wide downpour to save motel costs.
Having an excellent team exciting to watch is the first of several goals accomplished this season. Among the highlights to savor during a long off-season is finishing first in the competitive Pecos League and that Coach Ryan Stevens was voted the Pecos League Coach of the Year and rookie RHP Brett Kennedy, Pitcher of the Year.
The emotion pours forth from everyone doing what�s necessary to assist the team�s young players advance as far as skill and being noticed may take them in pro ball. That is called heart giving expression to a passion motivating them to excel.
Giving it his all has been third year Head Coach Ryan Stevens. He took some time out for lunch and an impromptu interview in the grandstands the day after a Monday night double header clinched first place. Multi-tasking; while enjoying a meatball sub, Coach Stevens supervised grounds and stadium maintenance. His team began to arrive early to get in a little extra practice and contribute to the needed upkeep of Kokernot.
�Congratulations on being named Coach of the Year�, I shouted as Stevens walked up the stairs to a shaded seat under the covered grandstand along the first base side.
�It�s the team�, he said, giving them all the credit as if the 45-24 record could have happened without a competent manager and talented team operating on the same �Take me out to the ballgame� sheet of music. There is some well-earned professional recognition coming Coach Stevens� way for this year�s accomplishments.
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