Pelicans Prep for Playoffs in Regular Season Finale

September 1, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release

MYRTLE BEACH, SC - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are gearing up for their first postseason appearance since 2008, but before the Birds open the playoffs at home on Wednesday, the Salem Red Sox come to BB&T Coastal Field for three games to close the regular season. Saturday's opener will start at 7:05 p.m. while Sunday's game and Monday's Labor Day finale will both begin at 6:05 p.m.

The Red Sox surged to a 20-7 record to start the season, but they've precipitously dropped out of contention by going 40-67. The Pelicans struggled with Salem last year as they only won five of 20 head-to-head contests, but in 2011 Myrtle Beach is 10-7 against the divisional foe.

The first 1,000 fans through the gates for Saturday's series opener will receive a Splash bobblehead, featuring one of the Pelicans' mascots, Splash. The middle game on Sunday is the final Family Sunday of the year, so bring your glove for a pregame catch on the field! There will also be a fireworks show after the game. Myrtle Beach closes out the regular season with a bang as they'll have another spectacular fireworks show on Monday.

After an off day on Tuesday, the first-half division champion Pelicans will open the best-of-five Southern Division playoff series at BB&T Coastal Field on Wednesday, September 7 at 7:05 p.m. against the Winston-Salem Dash or Kinston Indians. The race for the second-half crown is still up for grabs as Kinston leads Winston-Salem by just percentage points with five days left in the regular season. Myrtle Beach is still mathematically in the race at four and a half games back.

Game two will be at BB&T Coastal Field on Thursday, September 8, also a 7:05 p.m. start, before the Birds head to Winston-Salem or Kinston for games three and four. A potential fifth and deciding game on Sunday, September 11 would be held at the home of the second-half division champ.

If the Pelicans win the Southern Division Series they will move on to the Mills Cup Championship Series, a best-of-five set against the winner of the Northern Division Series between the Frederick Keys and Potomac Nationals.

Since it is an odd-numbered year, the series will begin in the city of the Northern Division champions and conclude with the remaining games in the city of the Southern Division champions. If the Birds make it, games three, four and five would be played at BB&T Coastal Field Thursday, September 15, Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17. The full postseason schedule is included below.

Tickets for these playoff games and all Pelicans home games, including 2012 season tickets, are available at the BB&T Coastal Field box office, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, and by phone at 843-918-6000 or 877-918-TIXX.

CAROLINA LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIVISION SERIES

Game One: Wednesday, September 7: Winston-Salem Dash or Kinston Indians at Myrtle Beach Pelicans (BB&T Coastal Field)

Game Two: Thursday, September 8: Winston-Salem Dash or Kinston Indians at Myrtle Beach Pelicans (BB&T Coastal Field)

Game Three: Friday, September 9: Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Winston-Salem Dash or Kinston Indians

Game Four: Saturday, September 10: Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Winston-Salem Dash or Kinston Indians, if necessary

Game Five: Sunday, September 11: At Second-half winner, if necessary *

MILLS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (If Pelicans win Division Series and advance)

(*Subject to change to due weather or travel issues.)

Game One: Monday, September 12: Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Northern Division Champion

Game Two: Tuesday, September 13: Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Northern Division Champion

Game Three: Thursday, September 15: Northern Division Champion at Myrtle Beach Pelicans (BB&T Coastal Field)

Game Four: Friday, September 16: Northern Division Champion at Myrtle Beach Pelicans (BB&T Coastal Field) *

Game Five: Saturday, September 17: Northern Division Champion at Myrtle Beach Pelicans (BB&T Coastal Field) *

* If necessary

• Discuss this story on the Carolina League message board...

Carolina League Stories from September 1, 2011

• Rocks Let Lead Slip Away Again - Wilmington Blue Rocks
• Demny Leads Nationals to Another Win - Potomac Nationals
• 10th Innning HR Propels K-Tribe to Third Straight - Kinston Indians
• Hillcats Drop Third Straight to Potomac - Lynchburg Hillcats
• Keys Suffer Another Setback - Frederick Keys
• Birds Take Series with More Late Offense - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
• Sox-Dash Postponed on Thursday Night - Salem Red Sox
• Thursday's Dash Game Postponed - Winston-Salem Dash
• Pelicans Game Notes - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
• Three P-Nats Named Carolina League All Stars - Potomac Nationals
• Gac Named Carolina League MVP - Winston-Salem Dash
• Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
• Four Pelicans Named Postseason All-Stars - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
• Dash to Award $10,000 to Lucky Fan on Friday - Winston-Salem Dash
• Simmons, Terdoslavich, Named All-Stars - Lynchburg Hillcats
• Guilmet, Holbert Net Year End Awards - Kinston Indians
• Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes - Winston-Salem Dash
• Pelicans Prep for Playoffs in Regular Season Finale - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
• Ward Headed to Arizona Fall League - Frederick Keys
• P-Nats Headed Back to Playoffs - Potomac Nationals

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Myrtle Beach Pelicans Stories

• Pelicans Outlast MudCats 9-6 in Extra-Inning Battle
• Carolina Bests Myrtle Beach 7-6 in Extra-Inning Thriller
• MudCats Fend off Pelicans 8-6 in Series Opener
• Birds Take Down Cannon Ballers in Series Finale, 8-6
• Pelicans Fall to Cannon Ballers in Game Four, 6-3