#BIGEASTbase Minute – League Play Starts Friday
NEW YORK – League play starts up on Friday with Xavier at Villanova, Butler at Seton Hall and St. John’s at Creighton. Georgetown will be on its league bye-week hosting New York Tech.
The BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN) on FOX Sports Go will have all three series-finale games on Sunday.
SERIES NOTES
XAVIER at VILLANOVA
Villanova first-year head coach Kevin Mulvey will see his first league action as skipper hosting the preseason top pick and 2016 BIG EAST Champs Xavier. XU swept VU 3-0 last season. BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Hunter Schryver (Villanova) will go head-to-head with BIG EAST Player of the Year Joe Gellenbeck (Xavier). Schryver has a 2-3 record in non-conf play with a 2.25 ERA and 34 Ks. Gellenbeck has a .280 average with a team-high 21 runs and 30 RBI with six homers and 30 hits. XU freshman Conor Grammes will be a new face to watch. Grammes leads the Musketeers with a .339 average and 37 hits.
BUTLER AT SETON HALL
Pitching match ups will be highlighed in this Bulldog-Pirate series as Butler’s Jeff Schank will go up against SHU’s Zach Prendergast, followed by Saturday starts of Butler’s Ryan Pepiot and SHU’s Cullen Dana. Seton Hall swept Butler last season in their league match up. Schank is 17th in the NCAA in ERA (1.13) and is 20th in strikeouts (57). Prendergast has a 4-1 record and 42.2 innings pitched with 29 strikeouts and a 3.38 ERA. It will be Butler head coach Dave Schrage’s first BIG EAST series.
ST. JOHN’S at CREIGHTON
St. John’s travels to Creighton after experiencing only its third loss in 24 games. Last season, Creighton took two from St. John’s in Queens and for the all-time series, the Bluejays hold a 7-5 advatage. Creighton also knocked St. John’s out of the BIG EAST Championship game. In 2015, St. John’s captured its eighth conference title in Omaha. The Red Storm has been firing on all cylinders this season, to quote head coach Ed Blankmeyer, and is ranked in the top 15 in all five major polls. Creighton has had some early struggles but is 6-4 in its last 10 games. Friday marks a clean slate for both teams. St. John’s is second in the nation in batting average (.338) led by Gui Gingras (.426), Jesse Berardi (.424) and John Valente (.413). The addition of rookie righty Sean Mooney has also helped. Mooney has a .96 ERA and is 3-0 this season. Creighton righty Rollie Lacy will go head to head with Mooney on Friday. He has a 2-2 record and a 4.37 ERA with 37K’s. The Bluejays have strong pitching through the weekend with Jeff Albrecht (LHP) and Keith Rogalla (RHP) both seasoned veterans.
New York Tech at GEORGETOWN
The Hoyas (17-12) host NYIT this weekend as the first team with a league bye week. GU is coming off a 3-1 victory over Cornell on Tuesday and extended their winning streak to three games. GU is 6-4 in its last 10.
Red Storm Off To Best Start Since 1981
The co-preseason pick to win the league title, St. John’s is off to its best start in 36 years and is currently ranked in the top 15 in all five major national polls. St. John’s started the season on a nine-game winning streak and defeated top 10 teams Coastal Carolina and North Carolina. In the first NCAA RPI released in early March, the Red Storm ranked 2nd in the country. St. John’s lost its most-recent midweek game to Columbia, 7-4, but prior to that game was riding another nine-match streak. SJU’s three losses are to then-No. 9 East Carolina, Liberty and the Lions.
Upcoming #BIGEASTbase Schedule (all times Eastern)
Friday, April 7
NYIT at GEORGETOWN at 3 p.m.
XAVIER at VILLANOVA at 3 p.m.
BUTLER at SETON HALL at 6 p.m.
ST. JOHN’S at CREIGHTON at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 8
NYIT at GEORGETOWN at 1 p.m.
XAVIER at VILLANOVA at 1 p.m.
BUTLER at SETON HALL at 1 p.m.
ST. JOHN’S at CREIGHTON at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 9
NYIT at GEORGETOWN at 12 p.m.
BUTLER at SETON HALL (BEDN) at 12 p.m.
ST. JOHN’S at CREIGHTON (BEDN) at 1 p.m.
XAVIER at VILLANOVA (BEDN) at 1 p.m.