Friday, July 25, 1997

Kerfeld on the comeback trail

By LANCE FLEMING / Abilene Reporter-News

The Charley Kerfeld Comeback Trail has begun in Washington.

Kerfeld, who managed the Abilene Prairie Dogs in their first season and has spent the last two seasons as manager of the Grays Harbor (Wash.) Gulls of the independent Western League, pitched Wednesday night against the Chico Heat.

Kerfeld didn't get the win, but he did take part in a wild 20-14 win by the Gulls over the Heat.

Kerfeld, the 6-7, 340-pound ex-Astro, came to the mound to the music of the Little Texas hit song "God Bless Texas." He then walked Matt Davis before striking out former major league pitcher Rafael Novoa to end the game.

Kerfeld activated himself before the game and got into the game in the ninth.

It's believed that Kerfeld's last activity on the playing field was when he took part in an exhibition game in July 1995 when the Prairie Dogs took on the Hollywood All-Stars at Scott Field.

"I could still hit him," said Kerfeld's ex-player and current Prairie Dog manager Barry Jones. "He would have been running."

With the current state of the Dogs' pitching staff, wonder if Jones would sign Kerfeld to pitch for the Prairie Dogs?

It has interesting possibilities.

Inside the numbers

The Prairie Dogs and Lubbock Crickets, who concluded their three-game set Thursday night, have played some of the wildest games of the Texas-Louisiana League season. The teams have combined to play five games where one team has scored 10 or more runs. Abilene has outscored Lubbock by a combined 63-59. Abilene's wins are by the scores of 17-9, 13-7 and 23-18 and its losses are by the scores of 11-5 and 14-5. ... Abilene outfielder Jay Andrews has been hot of late, hitting .511 from July 10-July 22 to raise his average to its current .297. During that span he had 20 RBI, 2 home runs, scored 14 runs and had 23 hits in 45 at bats. ... Third baseman Manny Gagliano has 50 career multi-hit games and is only six games from breaking the Prairie Dogs' career record for multi-hit games, which is currently held by Jones.

Tonight's game

The Prairie Dogs hit the road to Harlingen for three games against the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings. Abilene will send Hank Lott (0-0, 6.75 ERA) and Mark Hampton (6-3, 5.01 ERA) and Royal Thomas (2-5, 4.73 EA) to the mound in the three games.

The Dogs will return to Scott Field next Tuesday to take on Tyler in the opening game of a six-game homestand.