NEW YORK – The bracket for the 2021 BIG EAST Softball Championship presented by JEEP was solidified on Saturday afternoon. Butler benefitted from Providence beating Seton Hall on Saturday as the Bulldogs clinched the final spot in the field as the No. 4 seed. The Pirates’ loss mathematically eliminated them from contention as The Hall needed to sweep PC in three games to jump Butler in the standings. Butler joins No. 1 seed and regular-season champion DePaul, No. 2 seed Villanova and No. 3 seed and host UConn in the postseason field. The four-team, double-elimination tournament is set for May 13-15 at Burrill Family Field at the Connecticut Softball Complex.
All three of Thursday’s games will stream live on the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi. FS2 will take over the remaining coverage starting with Game 4, set for noon ET on Friday. For the full schedule, see below.
DePaul wrapped up BIG EAST regular-season play May 2 with a three-game sweep of next week’s First Round opponent Butler. That also proved to be the final regular-season series for the Bulldogs, after their Creighton series scheduled for this weekend was canceled due to COVID-19 related issues within the Bluejays’ program. DePaul-Butler kick off BIG EAST Championship play on May 13 at noon ET. The Blue Demons defeated the Bulldogs in Indianapolis this season, 2-0, 5-1 and 3-1.
DePaul went 13-1 (.929) in BIG EAST play to clinch its seventh regular-season crown. The Blue Demons have won three-straight BIG EAST Championships (2017-19) and five overall to include the 2014 and 2008 trophies. They are making their 15
th trip to the conference tournament. Butler went 6-11-1 (.361) in BIG EAST action to finish fifth, but with fourth-place Creighton unable to compete, the Bulldogs will make their third BIG EAST Championship appearance and first since 2017. The Bulldogs won the crown in 2016.
Currently in the midst of a three-game series, Villanova and UConn will meet again in Thursday’s BIG EAST Championship First Round. They will follow Butler-DePaul and are slated for a 3 p.m. ET start. The Wildcats beat the Huskies in Game 1 of this weekend’s set to clinch the No. 2 seed, and continued on for the win in Game 2 on Saturday as well. VU-UConn wrap up regular-season play tomorrow in the Keystone State. After today’s results, Villanova is 14-2 while the Huskies are 12-8.
Villanova is making its 18
th BIG EAST Championship appearance and eyes its first conference title. Back in the BIG EAST for the first time since 2013, UConn heads to the postseason for the 17
th time. The Huskies have a league-best seven titles to their credit, including six of the first seven awarded in conference history. UConn won the conference tournament in 1990-93, 1995-96 and 2001.
Each competing team will be provided a limited number of complimentary tickets. Additional general admission seating will be available on the hill outside of the stadium on a first-come, first-served basis. For more on the BIG EAST Softball Championship, visit Championship Central by clicking
HERE.
BIG EAST Softball Championship Presented by JEEP
Burrill Family Field at the Connecticut Softball Complex
DAY 1 – THURSDAY, MAY 13:
Game 1: No. 1 DePaul vs. No. 4 Butler, Noon – BEDN
Game 2: No. 2 Villanova vs. No. 3 UConn, 3 p.m. – BEDN
Game 3: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 6 p.m. – BEDN
DAY 2 – FRIDAY, MAY 14:
Game 4: Winners of Game 1 and Game 2, Noon – FS2
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 3 p.m. – FS2
Day 3 – SATURDAY, May 15:
Game 6: Winners of Game 4 and Game 5, Noon – FS2
Game 7 (if necessary): If Winner of Game 5 wins Game 6, 2:30 p.m. – FS2
All times Eastern