This duo originally came over from the Frontier League together in a 2005 trade, which sent Abel De Loera and cash to Ohio Valley in exchange for Townsend and Haake.

Townsend and Haake have collected two Northern League Championships while under manager Greg Tagert and hold 10 RailCats’ team records.

Townsend, 27, returns for his seventh professional season and fourth with the RailCats following a stellar 2007 campaign, hitting .267 with 4 homers and 44 runs driven in.

Townsend has all-time RailCats’ records in games played in a season (95), career games (275), runs (154), home runs (25) and doubles in season (27).

He was named to the 2007 NL All-Star team alongside returning shortstop Jay Pecci and second basemen Eric McNamee. Originally signed with the San Diego Padres 2002 as a free agent, Townsend has spent the last five seasons under Tagert between the RailCats and two Frontier League teams.

Haake, 27, enters his 7th professional baseball season as the RailCats’ all-time career leader in hits (279), doubles (68), triples (14), RBI (152) and stolen bases (62). The 6-1 right fielder is a Belleville, Ill. resident and Northwestern graduate.

The RailCats also added another piece to the pitching puzzle by signing veteran P.J. Bevis. The Capalaba, Australia resident was originally signed as a nondrafted agent in 1998 by the Arizona Diamondbacks, spending four full season in the Diamondbacks farm system before being traded during the 2002 season to the New York Mets.

Bevis would reach as high as Triple-A in the Mets organization, with his best season coming in ’05, saving 21 games in 41 games for Tulsa. Last season, Bevis went 3-5 with a 4.62 ERA in the Can-Am League for the Worcester Tornados.

The RailCats begin defense of their 2007 Northern League title on May 15th when they host Joliet in the 2008 season opener. Call (219) 882-2255 for ticket information.