Oct. 21, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The schedule has been finalized for the 2011 BIG EAST/Big Ten Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, as announced by the BIG EAST and Big Ten conference offices Wednesday. Tripleheaders on Friday and Saturday highlight a slate that features 24 games over three days, Feb. 18-20, 2011, at current and former major league facilities in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla., area.
Notre Dame opens the event at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 at Dunedin Stadium against Michigan State. The Irish return to action at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19 versus Purdue at Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park and closes the weekend at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20 against Penn State at Raymond A. Naimoli Complex.
The BIG EAST/Big Ten Baseball Challenge consists of eight teams from each conference. Connecticut, Cincinnati, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Seton Hall and West Virginia will represent the BIG EAST. The Big Ten field includes Iowa, Penn State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue.
The 2011 Challenge gets under way on Friday, Feb. 18 with a pair of 10 a.m. starts. Jack Russell Memorial Stadium and Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park will both host tripleheaders, including opening games that will feature Iowa taking on West Virginia and Penn State battling Seton Hall. Also highlighting Friday’s slate of games will be a matchup between a pair of 2010 conference tournament champions, as Minnesota and St. John’s take the field at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium at 1 p.m.
Saturday’s action will also feature a pair of tripleheaders. Cincinnati faces Illinois to start things up on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. NCAA-entrant Connecticut will take on Minnesota on Saturday at 4 p.m. BIG EAST regular-season champion Louisville takes on Ohio State at Bright House Field at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Four games will wrap-up the challenge on Sunday, including Penn State facing-off with Notre Dame.
This is the third year of the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge, which takes place at the beginning of the college baseball season. BIG EAST baseball returns to Clearwater at the end of the regular-season for the 2011 BIG EAST Championship at Bright House Field, May 25-29.
FRIDAY, February 18, 201110:00 am Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Iowa vs. West Virginia10:00 am Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park Penn State vs. Seton Hall1:00 pm Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Minnesota vs. St. John's1:00 pm Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park Ohio State vs. Cincinnati4:00 pm Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Illinois vs. Pittsburgh4:00 pm Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park Michigan vs. Louisville4:00 pm Dunedin Stadium Michigan State vs. Notre Dame7:30 pm Dunedin Stadium Purdue vs. Connecticut
SATURDAY, February 19, 201110:00 am Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Cincinnati vs. Illinois10:00 am Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park Seton Hall vs. Michigan State1:00 pm Jack Russell Memorial Stadium West Virginia vs. Penn State1:00 pm Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park St. John's vs. Michigan4:00 pm Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Connecticut vs. Minnesota4:00 pm Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park Notre Dame vs. Purdue4:00 pm Bright House Field Louisville vs. Ohio State7:30 pm Bright House Field Pittsburgh vs. Iowa
SUNDAY, February 20, 201110:00 am Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Michigan vs. Connecticut10:00 am Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park Louisville vs. Minnesota10:00 am Raymond A. Naimoli Complex Penn State vs. Notre Dame10:00 am Raymond A. Naimoli Complex St. John's vs. Ohio State1:00 pm Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Cincinnati vs. Michigan State1:00 pm Al Lang/Progressive Energy Park Illinois vs. West Virginia1:00 pm Raymond A. Naimoli Complex Seton Hall vs. Iowa1:00 pm Raymond A. Naimoli Complex Purdue vs. Pittsburgh
— ND —