Opening Day Crew Fields Nine Off Championship Club

Contact: Patrick Kinas
Phone: (919) 269-2287

April 2, 2004

Zebulon, NC – Rookie manager Ron Hassey has been saddled with a strong stable of Carolina Mudcats players to open defense of the Southern League championship.

Nine players who completed the season celebrating at Five County Stadium last September break camp in advance of next Thursday’s league opener in Mobile, Alabama. Championship series MVP Trevor Hutchinson and budding star Josh Willingham headline the returning corps. Other veteran Mudcats include pitchers Nic Ungs, Todd Moser, Randy Messenger, infielders Josh Wilson and Billy Hall, complemented by outfielder Chip Ambres, who caught the championship-clinching out last fall against Huntsville.

Strong Florida Marlins prospects highlight the newcomers, including power mongor Jason Stokes, who has hit 44 home runs over the past two injury-plagued seasons. Speedster Eric Reed will patrol centerfield, who hit .300 last year with 53 stolen bases represents another Top 10 prospect coming to Carolina. LHP Bill Murphy will make his Marlins organizational debut with the Mudcats after reaching Double-A in the Oakland system late last year. Murphy was acquired in December in a trade that sent starting pitcher Mark Redman to the Athletics.

The defending Southern League champion Mudcats open the season in Mobile, Alabama against the BayBears on at 8:05 PM ET Thursday, April 8th. Carolina’s home opener is Friday, April 16th against the Birmingham Barons at 7:15 PM ET.

For ticket information, call (919) 269-2287 or go here.

View the full roster here.