#BIGEASTbase Minute – The Home Stretch
BIG EAST Baseball Update (5.16.18)
UPDATE - Thursday's game between Seton Hall and Georgetown has been postponed. Check Georgetown and Seton Hall's websites for the most up-to-date information.
NEW YORK – Entering the final weekend of the regular season, there are two playoff berths and a No. 1 seed at stake. St. John’s and Seton Hall secured their BIG EAST Championship spots weeks ago and remain the only two teams sure of a trip to Mason, Ohio next week. The Red Storm needs just one win this weekend to secure the No. 1 seed and win a league-record ninth BIG EAST regular season title. Seton Hall could win the title with a sweep of Georgetown and a Butler sweep of St. John’s.
With conference championship seeding determined by winning percentage, Georgetown and Butler control their fates for the final two spots. Should each team win at least one game, they would qualify for the tournament with seeding to be determined. Creighton is also not out of the playoff picture yet, despite finishing up league play last weekend. Creighton needs at least Butler or Georgetown to be swept by St. John’s or Seton Hall. If the Hoyas lose all three, they are out. If Butler loses all three and Georgetown does not, Butler and Creighton would go down the league tie-breakers which start with combined wins against the top of the standings. There is a tie scenario that comes down to runs given up against one another.
The bracket will be released on Saturday, following the conclusion of all games played.
SERIES NOTES:
BUTLER at No. 12 ST. JOHN’S
Butler is playing for its postseason life as one win would put the Bulldogs in the BIG EAST Championship for the first time. If St. John’s wins two games this weekend against Butler, it would secure the best regular season finish by a team since realignment (15-3), a mark previously held by 2015 St. John’s (14-3). It would also be the best finish by a team since Louisville went 20-4 in 2013, a year in which the Cards reached the College World Series. If St. John’s sweeps, it would tie the Red Storm for the second-best finish to a regular season in conference history, tying 1987 Seton Hall, 1988 Villanova and 1989 Seton Hall, all of whom finished 16-2 in BIG EAST play. 1987 Seton Hall had Craig Biggio and Mo Vaughn (and an assistant coach by the name of Ed Blankmeyer). The Johnnies would trail only the record set by the 1991 Redmen, who finished that year 18-2. SJU is coming off an 8-4 weather-shortened loss against No. 11 Minnesota. The game was ended with St. John’s tying run up at bat. Butler is coming off an 11-6 win over Eastern Michigan. St. John’s has won 11 of the last 12 games played against Butler. Last year, St. John’s swept Butler in Indy, including a pair of victories in extra innings.
SETON HALL at GEORGETOWN
Seton Hall is coming off a 1-2 weekend at home against St. John’s. In all likelihood, the Seton Hall will earn the No. 2 seed in next week’s BIG EAST Championship in Mason, Ohio. Only if Georgetown sweeps the Pirates this weekend, will they fall out of the No. 2 spot. The regular season title is still a possibility for The Hall as well, albeit unlikely. The Pirates would have to sweep Georgetown and Butler would need to sweep St. John’s in Queens. Seton Hall leads the all-time series, owning an 83-27 all-time advantage. The Hall swept the Hoyas in last year’s series at Owen T. Carroll Field. Georgetown has won their last 13 games at home. Before losing two in Indianapolis last weekend, the Hoyas were riding an eight game winning streak. Georgetown is coming off an 11-6 win over UMBC on Tuesday.
VILLANOVA at XAVIER
Xavier holds an 8-5 series edge over Villanova since they started playing each other in league action. The Musketeers and Wildcats are both out of the playoff picture. It is just the second time Xavier has missed the BIG EAST Tournament. Villanova is coming off a midweek loss to Penn State, 7-4. Xavier played a three-game series against the Nittany Lions last weekend, taking one of two. XU is coming off a 14-3 win against Northern Kentucky.
Upcoming in #BIGEASTbase
THURSDAY, May 17
BUTLER at No. 12 ST. JOHN’S at 3 p.m.
VILLANOVA at XAVIER at 3 p.m.
SETON HALL at GEORGETOWN - postponed.
Cal at CREIGHTON at 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, May 18
VILLANOVA at XAVIER at 3 p.m.
BUTLER at No. 12 ST. JOHN’S at 4 p.m. (CBSSN)
SETON HALL at GEORGETOWN at 7 p.m.
Cal at CREIGHTON at 7:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
SATURDAY, May 19
VILLANOVA at XAVIER at 11 a.m. (BEDN)
SETON HALL at GEORGETOWN at 1 p.m.
Cal at CREIGHTON at 1 p.m.
BUTLER at No. 12 ST. JOHN’S at 1 p.m. (BEDN)
All times listed are Eastern.