#BIGEASTbase Minute – Week Three Preview
NEW YORK – The BIG EAST played just two midweek games this week as Georgetown lost to George Washington, 6-3 and Xavier lost to No. 13 Louisville, 6-4. All seven teams are in action this weekend with Xavier and St. John’s making west coast trips and Villanova, Georgetown, Butler and Seton Hall traveling to Florida. Creighton will play a road series at Central Arkansas. Butler and St. John’s come into the weekend with unbeaten records and a combined 15-0 record.
Please check each schools’ website for updated times and schedule changes.
Xavier (3-5) had led 4-2 as late as the sixth inning before the Louisville Cardinals came-from-behind with back-to-back two run innings in the sixth and seventh. Xavier left the bases loaded in the eighth and was unable to break through in the ninth. The Musketeers will look to get back on the winning path as Xavier travels to the west coast to play a three-game series at St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif. St. Mary’s is 4-3 with impressive wins against Long Beach State and Arizona State. It is the first time these two teams have met.
Villanova (3-3) is coming of a west coast weekend at USC. The Wildcats lost three games to the Trojans. This weekend kicks off the Snowbird Baseball Classic for Villanova where the Cats will play three games in Port Charlotte, Fla. against Dartmouth (March 3), Northeastern (March 4) and Western Michigan (March 6). After Georgetown’s 6-3 loss to George Washington on Tuesday, the Hoyas (0-7) are looking to get back on track with a 10-day, seven-game spring break trip also at the Snowbird Classic. The Blue & Gray will take on Mount St. Mary's (March 3, 3 p.m.), Dartmouth (March 4, 11:30 a.m.), Northeastern (March 6, 4 p.m.), Western Michigan (March 7 and 9, noon) and Saint Joseph's (March 10/11, 2 p.m./noon).
Seton Hall (2-4) is also in Florida. The Pirates are at the Kissimmee Irish Classic for a three-game weekend against Seattle, Notre Dame and Youngstown State. The games will be played at the Osceola County Stadium. The Pirates will play one game each day. Seton Hall is coming off a 1-2 showing last weekend in Spartanburg, S.C. with a weekend-ending win against Pittsburgh, 1-0. Other than Notre Dame, Seton Hall has never played against Seattle, Youngstown State or their mid-week opponent Central Michigan. Seton Hall and Notre Dame have had a 51-game series, but have not played since 2013.
Butler (8-0) are also in Kissimmee, Fla. The Bulldogs will take on Saint Peter’s and Pittsburgh with two games against the Peacocks (Friday and Sunday) and the Saturday game against the Panthers. Seton Hall defeated Pitt last week, 1-0 in South Carolina. Butler has never played a game against Saint Peter’s. All three games are slated to start at 11 a.m. Butler is off to one of the best starts in program history. Butler has outscored the opposition 22-3 over the final three innings this season.
St. John’s rose in the rankings on Monday to No. 21 after a 7-0 start for the second-straight season. Like Xavier, the Red Storm will also go west to California. The Red Storm will take on UC Davis in a three-game series which is set to begin on Friday afternoon. It is a first-time meeting for St. John’s and UC Davis. The Red Storm has not played in the Golden State since a 20-16 series against CSU Bakersfield. Fellow BIG EAST team Creighton took three games from UC Davis last weekend in California winning 6-3, 9-6 and 10-7 (11 innings).
This weekend, Creighton (4-2) will be on the road in Conway, Arkansas to play Central Arkansas in a three-game series that starts on Friday afternoon. The Bears are 2-5 this season and were picked to finish fourth in the Southland Preseason Poll.
Upcoming #BIGEASTbase Schedule
Friday, March 2
Seattle vs. SETON HALL at 10 a.m.
(Kissimmee, Fla.)
Saint Peter’s at BUTLER at 11 a.m.
(Osceola, Fla.)
CREIGHTON at Central Arkansas at 5 p.m.
XAVIER at Saint Mary’s (may be postponed until Sunday for a doubleheader)
No. 21 ST. JOHN’S at U.C. Davis
Saturday, March 3
Pittsburgh vs. BUTLER at 11 a.m.
(Osceola, Fla.)
Dartmouth vs. VILLANOVA at 12 p.m.
(Port Charlotte, Fla.)
CREIGHTON at Central Arkansas at 1 p.m.
St. Mary’s vs. GEORGETOWN at 3 p.m.
No. 21 ST. JOHN’S at U.C. Davis at 4 p.m.
Notre Dame vs. SETON HALL at 4 p.m.
(Kissimmee, Fla.)
XAVIER at Saint Peter’s at 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 4
Youngstown State vs. SETON HALL at 10:45 a.m.
(Kissimmee, Fla.)
Saint Peter’s v s. BUTLER at 11 a.m.
(Osceola, Fla.)
Dartmouth vs. GEORGETOWN at 11:30 a.m.
(Port Charlotte, Fla.)
CREIGHTON at Central Arkansas at 2 p.m.
Northeastern vs. VILLANOVA at 3 p.m.
(Port Charlotte, Fla.)
XAVIER at St. Mary’s at 4 p.m.
No. 21 ST. JOHN’S at U.C. Davis at 4 p.m.