RiverHawks to open Northern League season May 20

LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rockford RiverHawks will open their first season in the independent Northern League against a new regional rival.

The RiverHawks announced their 2010 schedule Monday. Their ninth season in the Stateline begins with a four-game series against the Schaumburg Flyers. Opening Night is 7:05 p.m. Thursday, May 20 at Road Ranger Stadium. The homestand continues the following three nights.

Standard gametimes remain the same: 7:05 p.m. weeknights, 6:05 p.m. Saturdays and 4:05 p.m. Sundays. In recent polling at the team website, an overwhelming majority of fans – 95 percent of 1,086 total voters – preferred the early Sunday starting time.

The Northern League has scheduled a 100-game season. Both the NL and the Frontier League, the RiverHawks’ previous circuit, had 96-game schedules in 2009.

The Northern League’s membership includes four regional rivals – Schaumburg, the Joliet Jackhammers, the Gary SouthShore RailCats and the expansion Lake County Fielders. Each will play at least a half-dozen games at Road Ranger Stadium. The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Kansas City T-Bones and Winnipeg Goldeyes are the league’s other teams.

Notable points on the schedule include a three-game homestand during the Independence Day weekend, July 2-4, a 10-game homestand July 27-Aug. 5 and a seven-game homestand to close the home schedule Aug. 26-Sept. 2.

The RiverHawks are members of the Northern League, an eight-team independent professional baseball league that will play its 18th season in 2010. 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 www.rockfordriverhawks.com.