Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Knights top Minor League Baseball in fans per game in 2015

From team release
An Average of 9,428 Fans Per Game Visited BB&T Ballpark During Sophomore Season
With a total of 9,428 fans per game over 71 home dates in 2015, the Charlotte Knights led all of Minor League Baseball in average attendance per game for the second consecutive season. A year after debuting BB&T Ballpark in Uptown Charlotte to rave reviews, the Knights once again packed the ballpark consistently in 2015, boasting 31 sell-out crowds over the club’s second season.  
“We are very pleased with our second season at BB&T Ballpark,” stated Dan Rajkowski, Charlotte Knights Chief Operating Officer. “Our fans once again supported the Knights and proved that BB&T Ballpark was the ultimate summer destination location in the Queen City. We are very thankful to the over 700,000 fans who visited our ballpark in 2015 and look forward to a great 2016 season featuring the Triple-A Baseball All-Star Game and much more.”

Over the course of 75 baseball dates in 2015, the Knights welcomed a total of 700,645 baseball fans to BB&T Ballpark. Additional baseball games such as two collegiate contests (Davidson College vs. Knights and Charlotte 49ers vs. N.C. State), an exhibition game featuring the Knights against the Chicago White Sox, and a Team USA matchup against the Cuban National Team, highlighted the club’s second slate in Uptown Charlotte.

A total of 33 sell-out crowds were amassed in 2015 with the final game of the season bringing the most fans together in the history of the ballpark. On Friday, September 4, the Knights welcomed 10,731 fans to BB&T Ballpark, the most for one game in the ballpark’s two-year history.

The 2015 season also ushered in the ballpark’s one-millionth fan through the gates. On Wednesday, June 17, the Knights welcomed Bill Lavell of Rock Hill, SC to the 105th Knights game at BB&T Ballpark, becoming the quickest International League ballpark in history to accomplish that feat. In two years combined at BB&T Ballpark, the team has welcomed over 1.3 million fans (142 regular season home dates).

The 2016 home opener is on tap for Thursday, April 14 at 7:05 p.m. against the Durham Bulls. Selected as the host city for the 2016 Triple-A All-Star Game, BB&T Ballpark, the City of Charlotte, and Mecklenburg County will take center stage on Wednesday July 13 in front of a nationally televised audience on the MLB Network. The 2016 Triple-A All-Star Game and Festivities will take place at BB&T Ballpark from July 11 to July 13.


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Game 140 lineup: Knights take on Bulls in Game 2 of final home series

The Charlotte Knights host the Durham Bulls in a "businessman's lunch" game at BB&T BallPark on Thursday afternoon.

Durham Bulls (71-68)
2 Boog Powell cf
1 Ryan Brett 2b
11 Taylor Motter rf
9 Corey Brown dh
4 Joey Rickard lf
33 Cameron Seitzer 1b
5 Jake Elmore 3b
34 Alec Sole ss
24 Wilmer Dominguez c
Starting pitcher: 17 RHP Everett Teaford (5-9, 5.34 ERA)

Charlotte Knights (72-67)
3 Micah Johnson 2b
17 Jason Coats cf
41 Dayan Viciedo 1b
22 Matt Davidson 3b
18 Matt Tuiasosopo rf
32 Kevan Smith c
2 Drew Garcia ss
45 Chris Jacobs dh
25 Chris Curley lf
Starting pitcher: 29 RHP Scott Carroll (7-4, 3.40 ERA)

Game time: 12:05 p.m.
TV/Radio: MiLB.TV/ESPN 730

Bill Kiser

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Game 139 lineups: Knights open final home series vs. Bulls

The Charlotte Knights open their final homestand of the 2015 International League season on Wednesday with the first of three games against IL South and in-state rival Durham Bulls at BB&T BallPark.

Durham Bulls (70-68)
13 Jose Constanza lf
1 Ryan Brett cf
11 Taylor Motter ss
9 Corey Brown rf
6 Nick Franklin 2b
33 Cameron Seitzer 1b
5 Jake Elmore 3b
2 Boog Powell dh
14 Mayo Acosta c
Starting pitcher: 29 RHP Jared Mortensen (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Charlotte Knights (72-66)
3 Micah Johnson 2b
17 Jason Coats cf
41 Dayan Viciedo 1b
22 Matt Davidson 3b
18 Matt Tuiasosopo rf
32 Kevan Smith c
2 Drew Garcia ss
45 Chris Jacobs dh
25 Chris Curley lf
Starting pitcher: 46 RHP Brad Penny (7-8, 4.10 ERA)

Game time: 7:05 p.m.
TV/Radio: MiLB.TV//ESPN 730

Bill Kiser