PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The BIG EAST Conference announced its pairings for the 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, event manager API Sports. Doubleheaders at Dunedin Stadium and Bright House Field highlight a slate that features 30 games over three days, Feb. 26-28, 2010, at current and former big league facilities in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla., area.

 

Rutgers will be competing in the three-day tournament for the first time as the Scarlet Knights had a previously-scheduled series with Miami that conflicted with the inaugural tournament last season.

 

“We are excited to compete in the event,” said Rutgers head baseball coach Fred Hill. “It will be a good early test for our ball club and we are looking forward to the challenge. The tournament has put together some great venues for the competition. Fans should expect to see some real exciting games.”

 

Rutgers will open competition against Iowa on Friday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. The Scarlet Knights will also face Northwestern at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 and Purdue at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28.

 

In addition to Clearwater’s Bright House Field, the spring home of the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, and Dunedin Stadium, the spring home of the Toronto Blue Jays, games will be played in Clearwater at Jack Russell Stadium, longtime spring headquarters for the Phillies, as well as in St. Petersburg at Al Lang Stadium and the Naimoli Complex, both of which hosted spring training for the Tampa Bay Rays until this year. There will be 10 games each day matching up teams from the Big Ten and BIG EAST.

 

Last year’s Challenge, which featured eight programs from the BIG EAST and all 10 Big Ten baseball-playing institutions, was won by the Big Ten, 15-9. 

 

The 2010 Challenge gets underway on Friday, Feb. 26, 2010, with 10 a.m. starts at Naimoli, Jack Russell and Al Lang. Naimoli hosts 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. games on Friday and Saturday, with Jack Russell and Al Lang offering starts at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. those days. St. John’s takes on Minnesota at 4 p.m. Friday at Dunedin Stadium, followed by a matchup of traditional NCAA Tournament contenders when Michigan faces Louisville at 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s doubleheader at Bright House Field features Notre Dame against Ohio State at 4 p.m., with USF taking on Illinois in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m.

 

Sunday will be highlighted by the Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Festival, a celebration of spring baseball in Florida, at the Naimoli Complex, which will host six games, including Penn State vs. Notre Dame, Indiana vs. Connecticut and Illinois vs. St. John’s at 10 a.m., and Michigan vs. USF, Minnesota vs. Louisville and Ohio State vs. Cincinnati at 1 p.m. Jack Russell will offer Purdue vs. Rutgers that day at 10 a.m. and Iowa vs. Villanova at 1 p.m., while Northwestern will take on Seton Hall and Michigan State will face West Virginia in similar time slots at Al Lang.

 

“We are pleased to again have the opportunity for our student-athletes and coaches to participate in the Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge,” said BIG EAST Conference Commissioner John Marinatto.  “The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has proven to be both an outstanding destination and venue for our baseball teams and our fans.  We look forward to yet another first-class event against first-class competition in a setting that is second to none.”

 

 “After a successful inaugural event, the Big Ten Conference is looking forward to more exciting and competitive games during the 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge,” said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. “This experience gives our programs the chance to compete in outstanding weather in some of the nation’s finest baseball facilities, and we look forward to another great event in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area.”

2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge Schedule

FRIDAY, February 26, 2010

TIME                LOCATION                                  MATCHUP

10:00 am       Al Lang Stadium                         Rutgers University vs. University of Iowa

10:00 am       Jack Russell Stadium                                University of Connecticut vs. Northwestern University

10:00 am       Naimoli Complex                        Seton Hall University vs. Michigan State University

1:00 pm          Al Lang Stadium                         University of Cincinnati vs. Penn State University

1:00 pm          Jack Russell Stadium                                West Virginia University vs. Indiana University

1:00 pm          Naimoli Complex                        Villanova University vs. Purdue University

4:00 pm          Dunedin Stadium                       St. John’s University vs. University of Minnesota

4:30 pm          Al Lang Stadium                         University of South Florida vs. Ohio State University

4:30 pm          Jack Russell Stadium                                University of Notre Dame vs. University of Illinois

7:30 pm          Dunedin Stadium                       University of Louisville vs. University of Michigan

 

SATURDAY, February 27, 2010

TIME                LOCATION                                  MATCHUP

10:00 am       Al Lang Stadium                         Villanova University vs. Indiana University

10:00 am       Jack Russell Stadium                                Seton Hall University vs. Penn State University

10:00 am       Naimoli Complex                        Northwestern University vs. Rutgers University

1:00 pm          Al Lang Stadium                         University of Connecticut vs. University of Minnesota

1:00 pm          Jack Russell Stadium                                Purdue University vs. University of Cincinnati

1:00 pm          Naimoli Complex                        University of Iowa vs. West Virginia University

4:00 pm          Bright House Field                     Ohio State University vs. University of Notre Dame

4:30 pm          Al Lang Stadium                         St. John’s University vs. University of Michigan

4:30 pm          Jack Russell Stadium                                Michigan State University vs. University of Louisville

7:30 pm          Bright House Field                     University of South Florida vs. University of Illinois

 

SUNDAY, February 28, 2010

TIME                LOCATION                                  MATCHUP

10:00 am       Al Lang Stadium                         Northwestern University vs. Seton Hall University

10:00 am       Jack Russell Stadium                                Purdue University vs. Rutgers University

10:00 am       Naimoli Complex                        Penn State University vs. University of Notre Dame

10:00 am       Naimoli Complex                        Indiana University vs. University of Connecticut

10:00 am       Naimoli Complex                        University of Illinois vs. St. John’s University

1:00 pm          Al Lang Stadium                         Michigan State University vs. West Virginia University

1:00 pm          Jack Russell Stadium                                University of Iowa vs. Villanova University

1:00 pm          Naimoli Complex                        University of Michigan vs. University of South Florida

1:00 pm          Naimoli Complex                        University of Minnesota vs. University of Louisville

1:00 pm          Naimoli Complex                        Ohio State University vs. University of Cincinnati