FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: Jon Versteeg
May 13, 2009 815-774-2881

JACKHAMMERS ANNOUNCE OPENING DAY ROSTER

JOLIET, IL-On the dawn of the 2009 season, and his second season as JackHammers manager, Wally Backman has had a busy couple of weeks. The JackHammers have amassed a perfect 5-0 pre-season record with a potent combination of speed and pitching and have two more pre-season games left on their schedule before beginning the 2009 season on Friday, May 15 against the Schaumburg Flyers at 7:05 p.m. at Silver Cross Field in Joliet’s City Center.

“I’ve been ecstatic about the way our pitching staff has performed this spring,” said Backman. “But this club also has speed, and that’s more of a team I like to manage.”

The JackHammers will carry 11 pitchers to open the season. Returning Northern League strikeout champion Aaron Trolia (9-6, 3.87 ERA, 142 strikeouts in 2008) leads the starting rotation. The bullpen features plenty of talent, including RHP Jason Richardson (9-6, 3.69 ERA in 46 relief appearances for Somerset of the Atlantic League) and RHP Drew Shetrone (3-3, 2.67 ERA Joliet/Staten Island-Yankees short-season A). The bullpen also has a local flavor with Lockport native and 2008 St. Francis graduate Jason Novak taking the field on Friday.

“He’s a great story,” added Backman. “He came to the tryout camp we had in April and received a non-roster invite to spring training. He didn’t allow a run all spring!”

Offensively, CF Adam Klein (52 career steals in two Oakland A’s minor league seasons) will be the leadoff man this season. OF/DH Joey Gomes (.303-14HR-55RBI with Joliet) should provide some “pop” in the lineup along with new 3B Andrew Pinckney (57 HR, 284 RBI in five seasons). 1B Freddie Thon (.324-7HR-35 RBI in just 45 games with Joliet) starts his second season in a JackHammers uniform after a stint in the White Sox organization at the end of 2008. Thon had one of the more memorable performances in recent history with an eight RBI game at Fargo-Moorhead on June 5.

Loose Gravel: Opening night will also be a busy one for Jammer. In addition to helping fans start the new baseball year at Silver Cross Field, Jammer will attend the ground-breaking ceremony for the new addition to the Salvation Army’s Joliet and Will County Corps Community Center on 300 Third Avenue in Joliet. Jammer will appear at 4:15 to meet fans and sign autographs. The official celebration begins at 4:30 p.m.

The Center has added 3,000 square feet to meet the growing needs in the area and is a testament to the hard work of Captains Cassandra and Thom Moffitt of the Salvation Army, who took it upon themselves to start the re-design of the facility.

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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