By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA - The Bulls will chase after their first-ever Big East tournament title as the fourth seed.
USF (35-20, 17-10) faces fifth-seeded UConn in the first round of the Big East Baseball Championship 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bright House Field in Clearwater. Get ticket information here.
The tournament features a double-elimination format through the semifinals. The championship game is set noon on Sunday and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
The Big East Baseball Championship kicks off with opening ceremonies and season award presentations 7 p.m. Tuesday followed by the home run derby at 8 p.m. at Bright House Field. USF's representative in the home run derby is Jimmy Falla.
You can watch the tournament's opening ceremonies all the way up to the semifinal games for free online at bigeastbaseball.com.
Here is the Big East Baseball Championship schedule of events:
Tuesday, May 22
Opening ceremonies/awards presentation/home run derby - Gates open at 6 p.m.; ceremonies begin at 7 p.m.; home run derby at 8 p.m. at Bright House Field in Clearwater.
Home Run Derby Participants
Connecticut - Ryan Fuller (.314, 4 HR, 34 RBI)
Louisville - Ryan Seiz (.147, 1 HR, 7 RBI)
Notre Dame - Trey Mancini (.307, 12 HR, 44 RBI)
Pittsburgh - Rick Devereaux (.371, 7 HR, 54 RBI)
Rutgers - Patrick Kivlehan (.399, 14 HR, 50 RBI)
St. John's - Matt Wessinger (.338, 6 HR, 44 RBI)
Seton Hall - Connor Delepine (.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
USF - Jimmy Falla (.280, 2 HR, 17 RBI)
Wednesday, May 23 - Four games
(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com)
Game 1 - No. 6 Rutgers (31-23) vs. No. 3 Seton Hall (33-22), 10 a.m.
Game 2 - No. 7 Notre Dame (29-25) vs. No. 2 St. John's (33-21), 1 p.m.
Game 3 - No. 8 Pittsburgh (28-26) vs. No. 1 Louisville (38-18), 5 p.m.
Game 4 - No. 5 Connecticut (29-25-1) vs. No. 4 USF (34-20), 8 p.m.
Thursday, May 24 - Four games
(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com)
Game 5 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 10 a.m.
Game 6 - Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 7 - Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 5 p.m.
Game 8 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 8 p.m.
Friday, May 25 - Two games
(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com)
Game 9 - Loser of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 10 - Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 7, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 26 - Two, three, or four games
(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com)
Game 11 - Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 9, 10 a.m.
Game 12 - Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 10, 1 p.m.
Game 13 - Loser of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 11, 5 p.m. (if necessary)
Game 14 - Loser of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 12, 6:30 p.m. or 8 p.m.
(if necessary; game would be at 6:30 if Game 13 is not necessary, 8 p.m. otherwise)
Sunday, May 27 - Championship game
(live television on ESPNU)
Game 15 - Winner of Group 1 vs. Winner of Group 2, Noon
