JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: POSTSEASON THOUGHTS LEAD TO TICKET ISSUES FOR `HAWKS TEAM'S FRONT OFFICE EXCITED ABOUT PLAYOFF PROSPECTS.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - The JetHawks' turnaround has created a welcome dilemma for the team's front office. With a playoff berth appearing increasingly likely each day, the team has three weeks to prepare and sell tickets for the games.

An eight-game winning streak entering Monday night's game against San Jose has put the JetHawks atop the second-half Southern Division standings. They can make the playoffs either by winning the second half outright or by overtaking High Desert for the wild card.

Lancaster (28-22) led second-place San Bernardino (27-23) by one game in the season's second half entering Monday night. The JetHawks (51-69 overall) trailed High Desert (55-65) by four games in the wild-card race.

Season ticket and minipackage holders will be notified by mail this week that they'll have the chance to purchase tickets for the seats they own during the regular season and will be able to buy playoff tickets by the end of this week, said director of business operations Chris Hale.

Playoff tickets won't be available to the public at large until the JetHawks clinch, Hale said.

If the JetHawks make the playoffs as second-half champions, they would play host to the wild-card team in the last two games of the three-game divisional series Sept. 4 and 5.

If Lancaster makes the playoffs as a wild card, they'd be at home for Game 1 of the divisional playoffs on Sept. 3.

If the JetHawks advance to the divisional championship series, they would be at home for Games 3 and 4 of a five-game series on Sept. 8 and 9.

They would would play host the last three games of a league championship series Sept. 13-15.

``We're prepared for it if it does happen,'' Hale said. ``They'll (season ticket and minipackage owners) have the option to buy their seats for every game we're going to play (potentially).''

If the JetHawks reach the league-championship series, the parent Arizona Diamondbacks have scheduled a minor-league fan-appreciation day for Sept. 14, which would be Game 4 of the league-championship series.

The Diamondbacks have provided the JetHawks about 1,000 tickets for their season-ticket holders, and several members of the booster club who have nearly perfect attendance records this season will get hotel accommodations and airfare.

It's just another problem Hale hopes the JetHawks will have to confront next month.

``It's a good thing if we're still playing on the 14th. We want to be there for that game (in Arizona), but if we're here playing for a championship, that's a positive thing. A month ago, we really didn't expect this.

``I'm sure they'll work with us on it as far as setting up an alternate date, but it also depends on what their schedule is and their time frame,'' Hale said. ``Hopefully, we can make it up for this year, but by then they'll have just two weeks left in their (regular-season) schedule, so we're hoping to be able to do it this year.''

--Attendance is up: The JetHawks have seen a steady decline in attendance numbers since their inaugural season in 1996, but it appears there will be an increase for the first time in franchise history this season.

The JetHawks' average attendance is 2,574 this season, a 2.7 percent increase over last season's 2,480 per-game average.

With six remaining home games, the JetHawks then play their last 13 regular-season games on the road. They're hoping to add to those numbers with a more-competitive team and several promotions this weekend, including a Saturday-night appearance by the Zuperstars, who are among the most popular entertainment acts in minor-league baseball.

``We're excited,'' Hale said. ``We're on our way to having a good year and I'm pretty sure we're going to have an increase in attendance over last year. That doesn't mean success and it doesn't mean failure, but it is a positive.''

Hale attributes the increase in part to a warmer April in the Antelope Valley and a strong push the front office made in group sales.

He said the JetHawks' recent on-field success and their involvement in a pennant race contributed to strong walk-up ticket sales over the weekend, but he pointed out that the franchise won't always be able to count on a winning team to fill seats.

``It's great for us and it's great for our fans to see, but it's never something we rely on,'' he said. ``It creates a more positive atmosphere, but I don't know if it helps us sell tickets in the long run.''