September 19, 2007 - LOVES PARK, Ill. – Former Rockford RiverHawk Olmo Rosario has capped an extraordinary season with a return to affiliated baseball.
Rosario, who won Player of the Year honors and a pennant in the independent Can-Am League earlier this month with the Nashua Pride, signed with the San Francisco Giants. Rosario played for the RiverHawks in 2004-05.
The shortstop hit .362 with 12 home runs and 59 RBI and stole 25 bases for the Pride this season. Rosario led the CAL with a career-high 133 hits. Rosario hit .419 in the playoffs. Rosario broke a scoreless tie with a first-inning home run last Friday as Nashua beat North Shore, 6-4, to complete a three-game sweep of the finals.
Rosario played in the Tampa Bay organization in 2001-02 under the surname Perez. He played the 2003 season with the Houma Hawks in the now-defunct independent Southeast League.
In the 2004 postseason, Rosario hit .429 during the RiverHawks’ run to the Frontier League pennant and was voted Finals MVP. He returned for 2005 and hit a team-record .373. Rosario played briefly last season with San Angelo of the independent United League.
Rosario is one of two former RiverHawks in affiliated baseball. Milwaukee signed closer Mike Marksbury at midseason and he finished the year with the Brewers’ high Class A affiliate at Brevard County of the Florida State League.
The RiverHawks are members of the Frontier League, a 12-team independent professional baseball league that will play its 16th season in 2008. Advertising and season-ticket information is available by calling the box office at (815) 885-2255. Most games are broadcast live on WNTA (1330 AM) and the internet. Fans can also visit the RiverHawks online at www.rockfordriverhawks.com.
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