FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: Jon Versteeg
May 7, 2009 860-309-9293 Cell

JACKHAMMERS BEAT RIVERHAWKS 7-3

ROCKFORD, IL-The Joliet JackHammers racked up seven runs on seven hits to earn a 7-3 victory over the Rockford RiverHawks of the Frontier League at Road Ranger Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The JackHammers are now 2 and 0 in the exhibition season and start a home-and-home series with the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League on Saturday night.

The two clubs battled to a scoreless tie through the first three innings. In the fourth inning, JackHammers’ 1B Tim Albert reached base on a one-out walk and 3B Wally Backman, Jr. ripped a single to move Alberts to second base. DH Mike Coles hit a bouncing ball in front of home plate that Rockford pitcher Trevor Caughey fielded and threw wide of first base. Coles reached on the error and Alberts scored for a 1-0 Joliet lead.

C Andrew Sweet walked to load the bases. Backman, Jr. then scored on a balk and Coles crossed home plate on a groundout by SS Kevin Rios to make it 3-0 in favor of Joliet.

Rockford scored a single run in the sixth inning on a home run by PH Mike Kalina to bring the RiverHawks within two runs at 3-1.

In the eighth inning, the JackHammers scored three runs thanks in large part to some timely hitting. 2B Andrew Pinckney walked and moved to third base on a double by 1B Alberts. 3B Ryan Arcadia hit an RBI single to score Pinckney.

Alberts advanced to third on the single by Arcadia and scored when DH Phil Avlas grounded out.

The final run of the inning scored when Arcadia moved to third base on a past ball and took home on a wild pitch. The JackHammers had a 6-3 lead heading into the ninth inning.

The RiverHawks scored two runs against Joliet RHP Jason Richardson in the ninth inning before the JackHammers pushed across an insurance run in the ninth inning to round out the scoring at 7-3.

RHP Rory Shortell started the game for the JackHammers and tossed two scoreless innings. He yielded just one hit and struck out two men. RHP Grant Johnson racked up two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. LHP Ryan Gehring gave up a run on three hits in two innings of work. LHP Ryan Paul, LHP Devin Anderson and RHP Richardson each pitched one inning to finish Joliet’s line for the afternoon.

The JackHammers return to action on Saturday against the Windy City Thunderbolts on Saturday night at Silver Cross Field at 7:05 p.m. The game will not be open to the public.

The JackHammers currently have full season seats, mini-plan packages, various group outings, affordable marketing opportunities and individual game tickets available for the 2009 season. To invest, or for more information, please contact them TODAY at 815.726.2255 (BALL), visit their website (www.jackhammerbaseball.com) or stop by the Silver Cross Field Box Office during normal business hours.

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