JOSH HABEL AGREES TO TERMS WITH RAILCATS; ALL FOUR STARTING PITCHERS BACK FROM '06

May 5, 2007 Contact: Tom Nichols at (219) 882-2255

Gary, Ind.—The Gary SouthShore RailCats Professional Baseball Club announced today that left-handed pitcher Josh Habel has agreed to contractual terms for the 2007 season. RailCats manager Greg Tagert made the announcement.

With the signing of Habel, the RailCats return all four starting pitchers who finished the 2006 season in the rotation. Habel, Willie Glen, Jason Shelley, and Travis Kerber combined to pitch 53.1 innings during the playoffs last season and allowed just three runs among the four of them, an earned run average of 0.51. In August and September, the foursome posted a 2.21 ERA over 244.2 innings.

Habel spent all of 2006 with the RailCats, going 8-9 with a 4.40 earned run average in 24 starts. However, he improved dramatically as the season wore on. Over his final 17 starts including three playoff starts, he was 8-7 with an outstanding 2.29 ERA. Over his final six starts including the playoffs, he allowed a total of three runs in 40 innings.

Habel's biggest win of the year came on September 10^th in the fifth and deciding game of the Eastern Division playoffs. He tossed seven scoreless innings as the RailCats beat Schaumburg to advance to the Northern League Championship Series. Habel also recorded a big win on September 2^nd over Kansas City, the next to last day of the scheduled season. He tossed seven shutout innings and struck out 12 batters as the RailCats pulled to within one game of first place.

The RailCats open their exhibition season on May 9^th at Joliet. The first home exhibition game is May 11 ^th at 1:00 p.m. vs. Schaumburg. They begin the 2007 regular season on May 17^th at U. S. Steel Yard against the Winnipeg Goldeyes. RailCats 2007 ticket packages and merchandise are available at U. S. Steel Yard or by calling (219) 882-2255.

DAY AT CAMP

The RailCats continued their pre-season training camp with a workout this morning that including batting practice off "live" pitching. Outfielder Nate Price, who spent last season in the Chicago Cubs organization and played at the University of Iowa, provided one of the highlights of the day in regular batting practice, hitting three long home runs to right field. The first of the three connected with the side of the Bennigan's restaurant beyond the right field wall. The second was a line drive dart just over the fence, and the third was the longest of the three, a titanic blast that missed by about a foot of landing on the roof of Bennigan's.

More Info : The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a Professional Minor League Baseball Team serving Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs. For the last three years, they have been chosen "Best Local Spectator Sport" by Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly. Their 96 game schedule includes 47 home games at beautiful U. S. Steel Yard, an award-winning 6,000 seat state-of-the-art facility located next to the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) with easy access to I-65.