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Big East-Big Ten Challenge Games Moved to Bradenton, USF
Feb. 16, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Due to the recent unavailability of Progress Energy Park, the schedule for the inaugural BIG EAST-Big Ten Baseball Challenge has been adjusted to include games at McKechnie Field in Bradenton and Red McEwen Field at the University of South Florida. The BIG EAST-Big Ten Baseball Challenge, hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, begins on Friday, Feb. 20. McKechnie Field will host a pair of doubleheaders on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20 and 21, and Red McEwen Field will host one neutral game that Saturday and two on Sunday, Feb. 22. Another contest scheduled for Progress Energy Park on Saturday will be shifted to Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater. “Everybody involved with the Challenge has pitched in to help us come up with a solution to this situation under very trying, last-minute circumstances," said Kevin Smith, Director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission. "Unfortunately, the field at Progress Energy Park was damaged and deemed unplayable following a Super Bowl event. The grounds crew worked hard to get the field ready, but at some point with 18 NCAA Division I baseball teams making final preparations for the event, we had to make a decision to look elsewhere. That's when the folks in Bradenton and at USF and Jack Russell really came through for us. It was a trying week, but I think we came up with a solution that will make everyone happy.” The BIG EAST-Big Ten Baseball Challenge will take place at facilities in the St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Bradenton, Dunedin and Tampa Bay areas from Feb. 20-22. All 10 of the Big Ten’s baseball-playing institutions will compete in the inaugural event, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue. Eight BIG EAST representatives will participate, including South Florida, Connecticut, Georgetown, St. John’s, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Cincinnati and Notre Dame.
Each day there will be eight games that feature a BIG EAST team taking on a club from the Big Ten along with one non-conference contest in which two Big Ten schools face off. Tickets to the BIG EAST-Big Ten Baseball Challenge are available online at www.BIGEASTBigTenChallenge.com. Those interested in purchasing tickets via phone can call event manager API Management & Marketing at 410-472-3500. An all-tournament pass, which provides access to all 27 games of the Challenge, can be purchased for $10. Individual venue passes are available for $5. The revised tournament schedule can be found below. For more information please call 410-472-3500 or send an email to scott@api-mgmt.com. BIG EAST/BIG TEN CHALLENGE SCHEDULE Friday, February 20 1 p.m. 4 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 21 1 p.m. 4 p.m. * Game televised by Bright House Sports Network Sunday, February 22 11 a.m. 1 p.m. |
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