#BIGEASTbase Championship Starts Thursday In Omaha
Link To Press Conferences: Head Coaches | Major Award Winners
OMAHA, Neb. – Thursday marks the start of the 32nd BIG EAST Baseball Championship, Presented by Jeep, which returns to Omaha, Neb. to the home of the College World Series – TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. All four teams return from last season, with BIG EAST Regular Season champion Creighton, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Xavier.
It is the third time since the reconfiguration of the conference that the BIG EAST Baseball Championship has had these same four teams. Xavier returns as the defending champions. The Musketeers have won both times (2014, 2016) that these four teams faced off in the league championship.
Last year in Aberdeen, Md., four of the six games were decided by one game.
Creighton enters the tournament has the No. 1 seed, winning the 2017 Regular Season title with a .733 league winning percentage (10-6). St. John’s is the No. 2 seed with a 13-5 league record and a .722 winning percentage. Xavier is seeded third (10-6 record, .625 winning percentage) and Seton Hall is the No. 4 seed (10-8, .556).
The winner of the double elimination tournament will receive the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship field.
The BIG EAST Digital Network on FOX Sports GO will cover games 1-5 with all the action from TD Ameritrade Park Omaha called by David Gustafson and John Bishop with dugout reporters Megan O’Brien, John Fanta and Matt Schumacker.
Thursday’s #BIGEASTbase Coverage:
Game 1
No. 3 Xavier (29-25) vs. No. 2 St. John’s (40-9)
?? 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT (First pitch 3:32 ET/2:32 p.m. CT p.m.)
?? Watch on @BIGEASTDigital:
http://a.fsgo.com/uaDf/qHXVs8EpmD
?? Live Stats:
http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=175423
2017 Series Record: St. John’s won the series 3-0
(May 12-14 at St. John’s)
BIG EAST Tournament Record: Xavier leads series 2-0.
Last BIG EAST Tournament Meeting: Xavier won 9-8 (Game 1 of 2016 BIG EAST Tournament)
Overall Series Record: St. John’s leads the series 10-4.
Why We’re Watching:
St. John’s and Xavier faced off against each other in Game 1 of the 2016 BIG EAST Championship with the Musketeers winning 9-8. Xavier has won the tournament twice in two appearances and boasts a 6-1 (.857) tournament record. The last time St. John’s played in the tournament in Omaha (2015), SJU was the tournament victor, defeating Creighton, 8-7; the same score Xavier defeated the Bluejays by last year. St. John’s is making its 26th appearance in the BIG EAST Championship field. The 26 appearances is the most of any team. The Red Storm also has the most wins (48) and titles (8) and a .565 winning percentage. In tournament play, Xavier is 2-0 against St. John’s. Overall, St. John’s leads the all-time series 10-4 and swept the Musketeers at home. Game 1 of the tournament also probably features the Freshman & Pitcher of the Year Sean Mooney from St. John’s against Player of the Year Rylan Bannon from Xavier.
Game 2
No. 4 Seton Hall (29-22) at No. 1 Creighton (23-23)
?? 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT (or at least 45 minutes after the elimination game)
?? Watch on @BIGEASTDigital:
http://a.fsgo.com/uaDf/kk97D4FpmD
?? Live Stats:
http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=175424
2017 Series Record: Creighton won the series 2-1
(May 5-6 at Seton Hall)
BIG EAST Tournament Record: Creighton leads the series 4-0.
Last BIG EAST Tournament Meeting: Creighton won 6-5 (Game 2 of 2016 BIG EAST Tournament)
Overall Series Record: Creighton leads the series 12-4.
Why We’re Watching:
For the fourth time in four years Creighton and Seton Hall will face each other in the opening round of the BIG EAST Championship. Creighton owns a 12-4 series record over Seton Hall overall. In the tournament, Creighton is 4-0. In 2015, the Bluejays sent the Pirates to the losers bracket with a 7-4 opening day win, then defeated SHU once again in the Saturday game, 12-1 en route to their second Championship appearance. Last year in Maryland, Creighton defeated Seton Hall 6-5. Creighton is playing with the “always the bridesmaid mentality,” as the Bluejays have finished as the tournament runner up for the past three seasons. Seton Hall is making its 23rd appearance in the BIG EAST Championship. Seton Hall has a 34-38 (.472) record in the tournament. Creighton is 6-5 (.545).