Home Opener set for May 30th against Battle Creek

KALAMAZOO, MI- The Kalamazoo Growlers announced their complete 2014 schedule today for their inaugural season of play in the Northwoods League.  The Home Opener is scheduled for Friday May 30th against in-state rival the Battle Creek Bombers. The Kalamazoo Growlers will begin the season on the road against the Madison Mallards Tuesday May 27th and will journey back home to Michigan to play the Bombers in Battle Creek on May 29th at Bailey Park. Click Here for Printable Schedule

The schedule is highlighted by 20 weekend games along with 6 Thursday night dates, 4 Wednesday dates, 3 Tuesdays and 3 Mondays. All Monday-Saturday games will start at 7:05pm with Sunday games starting at 5:05pm with the exception being June 3rd (10am), June 30th (noon), and July 4th. The team will host the Lakeshore Chinooks on the Fourth of July at 7:35pm, which will include a Red, White & Boom Fireworks Extravaganza that will be the only display in the Kalamazoo area that night. The Growlers official promotional schedule will be released later in 2014.

Northwoods League will use a 72-game divisional schedule. The Kalamazoo Growlers have joined the South division of the Northwoods League, consisting of seven Wisconsin teams along with Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. The League, which plays two halves to determine playoff participants, similar to most professional minor leagues, will end the first half of play on June 30th with the second half beginning July 2nd. The first and second half division winners from both the North and South divisions will meet in a best-of-three Divisional Playoff Series from August 11-13. The North and South Division Champions will then meet in a best-of-three series for the Summer Collegiate World Series from August 14-16.

The Northwoods League's 20th All-Star game will take place at Kapco Park on July 22, 2014 in Mequon, WI, where the Lakeshore Chinooks will host the event for the first time since their inauguration into the League in 2012. The Big League Dreams Showcase event will take place at Warner Park on August 5, 2014 in Madison, WI again, for its second year.

The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 20-year old Summer Collegiate League is the largest organized baseball league in the World, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, 114 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including MLB All-Stars Max Scherzer (DET), Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYY), Allen Craig (STL), and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable LIVE, free of charge, via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com.

Season tickets and mini-plan packages are now available for the 2014 season. For more information visit growlersbaseball.com, call the ticket office at 269-962-0735 or stop by the 251 Mills St. office at Mayors Riverfront Park.