MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -KANSAS CITY, Kan. — For the first time, the Northern League regular season will be 100 games in 2010, making it one of only two independent leagues to feature at least 100 contests.  Along with the schedule expansion, the league has grown to eight teams with the addition of the Lake County Fielders and the Rockford RiverHawks.  The Fielders, part-owned by actor Kevin Costner, are a new entity while the RiverHawks join the Northern League after eight seasons as a member of the Frontier League.

The Kansas City T-Bones begin the 2010 campaign with a 7:00 season-opener on Thursday night, May 20 against the Gary SouthShore RailCats at U.S. Steel Yard.  Following a four-game series, the T-Bones head to Schaumburg from May 25-27 for a three-game set against the Flyers to complete their first road trip of the season.

Kansas City opens their 50-game home schedule versus the defending champion Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at 7:05 p.m. on May 28 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.  After a three-game series, the expansion Fielders will make their first appearance in Kansas City with a three-game matchup from May 31-June 2.

The RiverHawks visit CommunityAmerica Ballpark for the first time in a three-game set from July 23-25 before Kansas City makes their Zion, Ill. debut in a four-game series against the Fielders on July 26-29.  The T-Bones then head to Loves Park, Ill. for their first road series against Rockford from July 30-August 1.

The 50-game home schedule will feature seven (7) Monday games; eight (8) games on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; and three (3) Thursday contests.  Monday-Saturday games are still 7:05 p.m. starts at CommunityAmerica Ballpark and Sundays remain 5:05 p.m. contests, with the following exceptions:

Wednesday games on June 2, June 23, and July 7 – Day games set for 11:05 a.m.

Sunday games on July 4 and September 5 – 7:05 p.m.

Monday regular-season finale on September 6 – 1:05 p.m.

Kansas City will face Fargo and Joliet 17 times in 2010, Gary 14 times; and Winnipeg, Lake County, Schaumburg and Rockford 13 times.

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