Oct. 5, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The BIG EAST and Big Ten conferences have announced the pairings for the 2012 Big Ten-BIG EAST Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission. The fourth annual event begins Feb. 17, 2012, and will feature a 24-game schedule spanning three days and five venues in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla., area.
Notre Dame opens the event at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, 2012 at the Walter Fuller Baseball Complex against Illinois. The Irish return to action at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 versus Iowa at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium and closes the weekend at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19 against Purdue at Al Lang Field.
Nine BIG EAST teams, including the three NCAA tournament participants from 2011, will compete in this year’s event, joining 10 Big Ten teams. The BIG EAST representatives are Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Seton Hall, USF and West Virginia. The Big Ten field includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue.
The 2012 Challenge will feature tripleheaders at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium and Al Lang Stadium on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17 and 18, while the same ballparks will host doubleheaders Sunday, Feb. 19. Friday’s schedule also features an evening doubleheader at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, while Bright House Field hosts a twinbill Saturday night. The Challenge includes six games played Sunday morning and afternoon at the Walter Fuller Baseball Complex.
Teams participating in this year’s event are Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Seton Hall and West Virginia from the BIG EAST and Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue from the Big Ten.
This is the fourth year of the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge, which takes place at the beginning of the college baseball season. The Big Ten won the inaugural Challenge in 2009, 15-9, while the BIG EAST was victorious in 2010 (17-13) and 2011 (14-10).
BIG EAST baseball returns to Clearwater at the end of the regular-season for the 2012 BIG EAST Championship at Bright House Field, May 23-27.
2012 Big Ten-Big East Baseball Challenge ScheduleFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 201210 a.m. West Virginia vs. Northwestern Al Lang Stadium Louisville vs. Minnesota Jack Russell Memorial Stadium USF vs. Ohio State Walter Fuller Complex1 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Iowa Al Lang Stadium Cincinnati vs. Purdue Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Notre Dame vs. Illinois Walter Fuller Complex4 p.m. Connecticut vs. Indiana Al Lang Stadium St. John's vs. Michigan State Florida Auto Exchange Stadium Seton Hall vs. Penn State Jack Russell Memorial Stadium7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Michigan Florida Auto Exchange Stadium
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 201210 a.m. Indiana vs. Cincinnati Al Lang Stadium Notre Dame vs. Iowa Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Connecticut vs. Purdue Walter Fuller Complex1 p.m. Seton Hall vs. Michigan Al Lang Stadium Michigan State vs. USF Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Minnesota vs. St. John's Walter Fuller Complex4 p.m. Louisville vs. Illinois Al Lang Stadium West Virginia vs. Penn State Bright House Field Northwestern vs. Pittsburgh Jack Russell Memorial Stadium7:30 p.m. Ohio State vs. Seton Hall Bright House Field
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 201210 a.m. Purdue vs. Notre Dame Al Lang Stadium Illinois vs. St. John's Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Minnesota vs. West Virginia Walter Fuller Complex Penn State vs. Cincinnati Walter Fuller Complex Michigan State vs. Louisville Walter Fuller Complex1 p.m. Minnesota vs. USF Al Lang Stadium Ohio State vs. Connecticut Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Iowa vs. West Virginia Walter Fuller Complex Indiana vs. Pittsburgh Walter Fuller Complex Northwestern vs. Seton Hall Walter Fuller Complex
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