The RailCats and Saints will meet May 7 at 7 p.m. and May 8 at 10:30 a.m. at Midway Stadium in St. Paul, Minn. in 2009, with the Saints scheduled to play at U. S. Steel Yard in May 2010.  The RailCats and Saints last met in 2005 when the ‘Cats played St. Paul in the First Round of the Northern League Playoffs en route to the first of two league championships.  The Saints won the last of their four Northern League titles in 2004.

“This is a great opportunity for us to work with an organization like the Saints,” RailCats Owner and CEO Pat Salvi said. “The Northern League has six terrific franchises but we are excited to team up with another franchise that has likewise been highly successful.  These games also allow the RailCats to foster a mutually beneficial relationship with the American Association.”

The RailCats’ Tradition of Excellence on and off the field has made the team an annual contender for the league title.  The RailCats have advanced to an unprecedented four straight Northern League Championship Series and won titles in 2005 and 2007.  Named the Northern League’s Organization of the Year in 2006, the RailCats have also been recognized as Northwest Indiana’s “Best Spectator Sport” by the Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly every year since 2004.

The Saints are one of the most recognizable teams in minor league baseball, and their “Fun is Good” regularly produces some of the sport’s most imaginative promotions.  The Saints have drawn more than 6,000 fans per game for five straight seasons and are one of several franchises owned by the Goldklang Group, a team that includes influential executive Mike Veeck and comedian Bill Murray.  Formed in 1993 as one of the charter members of the Northern League, the Saints joined the American Association in 2006.

The American Association and Northern League each play 96-game seasons and are two of the country’s top independent minor league circuits.  Four of the American Association’s 10 teams were part of the Northern League through the 2005 season, and this agreement is the first of its kind signed by the RailCats with one of their former foes. 

The RailCats will announce the remainder of their 2009 exhibition schedule at a later date.  For more information on the St. Paul Saints, visit www.saintsbaseball.com.

The RailCats begin their seventh season at beautiful U. S. Steel Yard Monday, May 18 at 7 p.m. against the Joliet JackHammers.  Season tickets, group packages, mini-plans and flex tickets for 2009 are available now by visiting www.railcatsbaseball.com, calling the RailCats at (219) 882-BALL or by visiting the SouthShore Depot II Store at Westfield Southlake on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays this holiday season.