Preview: Season Opener at Grantsburg - Sunday 5/3 1:00pm

St. Croix River Bandits will travel for their first game of the season on Sunday to face the Honkers of Grantsburg. This will be the Bandits first meeting with the Honkers. The Bandits (and most likely the Honkers as well..) will be without a few key players who are still off at college, but Bandits veteran Jim Rochford will take the mound, making his 2nd opening day start in 3 years. Rochford went 4-5 last season with a 3.63 ERA. The teams leading hitters Scott Lindholm and Michael Chelberg will be suiting up for the game, as Bandits hitter hope to have a little more luck than last season which saw the team's batting average drop 20 points from the first season.

Not much is known about the Honkers, they have had up and down seasons the last few years playing in the Independant League.

Projected Line-Up
CF Scott Lindholm -3rd year
1B John Peterson -2nd year
DH Michael Chelberg -3rd year
RF Joe Holman -1st year - Bandits 1st round pick in 2009.
LF Trevor Todd -3rd year
3B Jeff Johnson -1st year - free agent brought out of retirement
C Steve Siqueiros -3rd year
SS Kyle Kahl - 3rd year
2B Curtis Roebuck -3rd year

Other Notes:
Kyle Kahl will begin the season as the every day shortstop - making him the 3rd different opening day SS in 3 years. Kyle will take the position over from John Peterson, who is moving over to 2b. JP will start this game at 1B, as he is battling ......an injury...

Unavailable for the game will be: starting 3B Mitch Thompson, pull-hitter powerhouse Mike VanderPlas, Jake Larcom, Bandits career HR leader Adam Lewis, utility-man Preston Langer, Trygve Chinander, and ace Jay Gagner (who will be pitching the 5/9 vs. Blaine).