ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (October 21, 2008) — The University of Connecticut baseball team will take part in the inaugural BIG EAST/Big Ten Baseball Challenge in February 2009. The schedule for the BIG EAST/Big Ten Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, has been released, API Management and Marketing announced Monday.

Twenty-seven games will be held Feb. 20-22, 2009, at venues in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Dunedin, Fla., highlighted by Friday and Saturday evening doubleheaders at Knology Park and Bright House Field.

All 10 of the Big Ten’s baseball programs will compete, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue. Eight BIG EAST programs will participate in the inaugural event, including Connecticut, USF, Georgetown, St. John’s, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Cincinnati and Notre Dame. Each day there will be eight games that feature a battle between a BIG EAST program and a Big Ten institution.

Other venues to be utilized include the Raymond A. Naimoli Complex, the Tampa Bay Rays’ former spring training facility in St. Petersburg; Progress Energy Park, the Rays’ former spring training stadium in St. Petersburg; and Jack Russell Stadium, the former spring home of the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater.

The complete tournament schedule can be found below. Ticket information and details will be released in the near future. 

BIG EAST/BIG TEN CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
February 20-22, 2009

Friday, February 20
10 a.m.
Indiana vs. West Virginia, Progress Energy Park
Michigan State vs. Connecticut, Jack Russell Stadium

1 p.m.
Minnesota vs. Seton Hall, Progress Energy Park
Michigan vs. USF, Jack Russell Stadium
Purdue vs. Cincinnati, Naimoli Complex

4 p.m.
Penn State vs. St. John’s, Knology Park
Northwestern vs. Georgetown, Progress Energy Park
Illinois vs. Iowa, Jack Russell Stadium

7:30 p.m.
Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Knology Park

Saturday, February 21
10 a.m.
Michigan State vs. Seton Hall, Progress Energy Park
Minnesota vs. West Virginia, Jack Russell Stadium

1 p.m.
Illinois vs. Notre Dame, Progress Energy Park
Iowa vs. St. John’s, Jack Russell Stadium
Penn State vs. Northwestern, Naimoli Complex

4 p.m.
Michigan vs. Cincinnati, Bright House Field
Ohio State vs. Connecticut, Progress Energy Park
Indiana vs. Georgetown, Jack Russell Stadium

7:30 p.m.
Purdue vs. USF*, Bright House Field

* Game televised by Bright House Sports Network

Sunday, February 22
10 a.m.
Ohio State vs. Cincinnati, Progress Energy Park
Penn State vs. Seton Hall, Jack Russell Stadium
Northwestern vs. Connecticut, Naimoli Complex
Minnesota vs. Michigan State, Naimoli Complex
Iowa vs. Georgetown, Naimoli Complex

1 p.m.
Michigan vs. St. John’s, Progress Energy Park
Purdue vs. Notre Dame, Jack Russell Stadium
Indiana vs. USF, Naimoli Complex
Illinois vs. West Virginia, Naimoli Complex