RAILCATS ANNOUNCE OPENING NIGHT ROSTER; SEASON STARTS TONIGHT AT STEEL YARD

May 17, 2007 Contact: Tom Nichols at (219) 882-2255

Gary, Ind.—The Gary SouthShore RailCats Professional Baseball Club announced its Opening Night roster this morning as the club prepares to begin the 2007 Northern League season tonight at 7:00 p.m. vs. the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

RailCats manager Greg Tagert trimmed the roster to the league limit of 22 players by placing pitchers Brad Mumma and Matt Petrusek and catcher Steve Ketter on irrevocable waivers.

The RailCats roster includes 11 pitchers, two catchers, four infielders, and five outfielders.

Starting Pitchers (in the order they will pitch to begin the season): Willie Glen, Josh Habel, Travis Kerber, Jason Shelley.

Relief Pitchers: Chad Blackwell, Jared Brown, David Byard, Tony Cogan, Steve Edsall, Steve Obenchain, Jim Paduch.

Catchers: Jose Yepez, Brett Wallace.

Infielders: David Detienne (1B), Eric McNamee (2B), Tanner Townsend (3B), Jay Pecci (SS).

Outfielders: Jermaine Allensworth, Steve Haake, Dale Mueller, Nate Price, Mike Reese.

Roster Notes:

• Six members of the club return from last season's league runner-up (Townsend, Pecci, Haake, Glen, Kerber, Allensworth). Yepez was the RailCats starting catcher in 2005 but was not with them in '06.
• Allensworth and Cogan both have experience in the Major Leagues.
• All four starting pitchers return from 2006.
• This marks the first time in Tagert's three years with the RailCats that he has kept 11 pitchers. The team carried 10 pitchers in 2005 and '06.
• With only four infielders on the roster, Detienne will play a utility infield role if needed at second, shortstop, or third. One of the outfielders or catchers would play first base in that scenario.

The RailCats also host Winnipeg Friday at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday at 6:00 p.m.; and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. They host Schaumburg next Monday (10:30 a.m.), Tuesday (7:00 p.m.), and Wednesday (10:30 a.m.).

Fireworks will follow the game tonight and tomorrow, sponsored by Krazy Kaplans and the Post-Tribune. Additionally, the first 2,000 fans tonight receive a free replica stadium model, sponsored by U. S. Steel and the Post-Tribune. On Friday, the first 1,500 fans receive a RailCats calendar, sponsored by Diversified Research and Development and the Post-Tribune. On Saturday, the first 2,000 fans receive a free RailCats magnet schedule, courtesy of Bennigans and the Times of Northwest Indiana.

Call (219) 882-BALL (2255) for tickets or purchase on-line at www.railcatsbaseball.com.

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.