GARY, Ind. — Today’s Gary SouthShore RailCats exhibition game against the Schaumburg Flyers at Alexian Field has been rained out. No makeup date has been announced yet, but the RailCats have added an exhibition game to the schedule Friday, May 14 at 4 p.m. against the Rockford RiverHawks.

With rain erasing two of the ‘Cats first four scheduled spring training games, the RailCats and RiverHawks will play a mini-exhibition series the next three days. The two sides will meet at U. S. Steel Yard Friday and Saturday before tangling in the series finale Sunday afternoon in Rockford.  The RailCats are 1-1 so far through the exhibition season, picking up their lone win Wednesday night, 11-2 against Valparaiso University.

The RailCats Thursday also made a roster move, placing catcher Matt Lenski on irrevocable waivers for the purpose of granting his unconditional release.  Lenski – the Horizon League’s leading hitter in 2009 – was 0-for-3 this spring with the ‘Cats.

The RailCats open the 2010 regular season Thursday, May 20 at U. S. Steel Yard.  The first 1,500 fans on Opening Night will get collectable coins, courtesy Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C., and after the game fans can enjoy a great post-game fireworks spectacular, sponsored by First Midwest Bank and the Post-Tribune.  Tickets are available by calling the RailCats during regular business hours at 219.882.2255 or by visiting www.railcatsbaseball.com.

RAILCATS EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

• Monday, May 10 vs. St. Paul (L 11-0)
• Wednesday, May 12 vs. Valparaiso University (W 11-2)
• Friday, May 14 vs. Rockford, 4 p.m.
• Saturday, May 15 vs. Rockford, 2 p.m.
• Sunday, May 16 at Rockford, 2 p.m.
• Monday, May 17 vs. Lake County, 2:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 18 vs. Schaumburg, 2 p.m.

More Info: Founded in 2002, the Gary SouthShore RailCats are Northwest Indiana’s premier professional sports franchise.  The RailCats play in the independent Northern League where they won championships in 2005 and 2007, and have advanced to an unprecedented five straight Championship Series.  The RailCats play 50 home games each summer at U. S. Steel Yard, their award-winning $45 million home ballpark, one of the premier minor league baseball venues in the country.  The RailCats averaged more than 3,500 fans per game in 2009 and attracted 185,747 total fans to the park, marking the highest single-season attendance in the franchise’s history.  The RailCats have increased attendance six out of seven seasons at The Steel Yard, which opened in May 2003.