May 19, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - With the end of regular season play on Saturday, the pairings for the 2007 BIG EAST Baseball Championship were announced this afternoon by the league office. Villanova has claimed the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament and will play a first round game against No. 3 seed Louisville on Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. The Wildcats had previously clinched a tournament berth with their thrilling 5-4 victory in 12 innings over Rutgers on Friday.

The game between Villanova and Louisville will open the tournament, which runs from Tuesday through Saturday at KeySpan Park in Brooklyn, New York. The Wildcats are making their first appearance in the conference tournament since 1997, when they advanced to the championship game.

The BIG EAST Championship is a double-elimination tournament and all eight teams are guaranteed at least two games. After its game against Louisville on Tuesday, Villanova will next play on Wednesday at 5 p.m. (if Wildcats defeat the Cardinals) or at 10:00 a.m. (if Villanova loses to Louisville).

In the final game of the regular season on Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats were defeated 12-6 by Rutgers at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.

Villanova enters the postseason with a 28-23 record and finished the regular season conference slate with a 12-15 mark.