December 9, 2009 - LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rockford RiverHawks will prepare for their first season in the Northern League with two exhibition games against an opponent that has been in the independent circuit’s championship series each of the last five years.
The RiverHawks announced Wednesday that they will play the Gary SouthShore RailCats on back-to-back days. The RiverHawks travel to Gary for a 2 p.m. game on May 15 while Road Ranger Stadium hosts the Northern Athletics Conference Tournament. The teams play again at 2 p.m. May 16 at Road Ranger Stadium in Loves Park. It will be fans’ last chance to see the RiverHawks in action before they open the regular season.
Fans who purchase a season-ticket or mini-season plan will receive free admission to the home exhibition game. Mini-season plans start at just $40. Full-season plans begin at $456. Ticket plans can be purchased through the RiverHawks box office in person or by calling (815) 885-BALL. No single-game tickets are currently available for purchase.
“We’ve played exhibition games against the RailCats for a number of years when we were in the Frontier League, and it’s always a top-notch organization,” RiverHawks general manager Josh Olerud said. “We’re happy to have them back on our spring-training schedule to help our players prepare for the season.”
Gary won the Northern League pennant in 2005 and 2007. There’s a few familiar faces from the RiverHawks’ Frontier League days. Manager Greg Tagert, who managed two teams in the league, was the first Frontier League skipper to reach 300 career wins. Pitching coach Jamie Bennett and several players also played in the FL.
The RiverHawks will announce other exhibition games at a later date.
The RiverHawks are members of the Northern League, an eight-team independent professional baseball league that will play its 18th season in 2010. The RiverHawks’ ninth season begins at 7:05 p.m. May 20 against the Schaumburg Flyers at Road Ranger Stadium. Advertising and ticket information is available by calling (815) 885-2255. Games are broadcast live on ESPN 1380 (WTJK-AM) and the internet. Fans can also visit the RiverHawks online at http://www.rockfordriverhawks.com/.
