Nov. 3, 2011

2012 Villanova Baseball Schedule

VILLANOVA, Pa.--The complete schedule for the 2012 season was released today by the Villanova baseball team, with the Wildcats to begin their 56-game slate at Arkansas on February 17 in the opener of a three-game series. The first three weeks of the season, plus the schedule of 24 home dates, was released earlier this week.

Villanova begins the season with trips to Arkansas (Feb. 17-19) and Norfolk State (Feb. 24-26) before heading to Florida to play in the Snowbird Baseball Classic during the Spring Break week (Mar. 2-7). Upon returning home the Wildcats host the Villanova Classic (Mar. 9-11) and the Big Five Baseball Bash (Mar. 16-18) prior to opening conference play.

Thanks to those two tournaments, as well as the opening BIG EAST series versus St. John's (Mar. 23-25) there are 10 home dates during the month of March, followed by six games at home in April and an eight-game home stand in May to close out the home schedule.

The eight-game home stand in May begins with a non-conference game against Temple on May 1, continues with league series versus Notre Dame (May 4-6) and Cincinnati (May 11-13) and wraps up with a contest against in-state rival and Big Ten member Penn State on Tuesday, May 15. Villanova has won seven of its last 11 games against Big Ten opponents, including five consecutive wins in head-to-head matchups versus the Nittany Lions.

The five BIG EAST opponents that the Wildcats will see on the road are Louisville (Mar. 30-Apr. 1), West Virginia (Apr. 5-7), Seton Hall (Apr. 20-22), USF (Apr. 27-29) and Rutgers (May 17-19), with that last series against the Scarlet Knights marking the end to the regular season.

Villanova heads to Louisville for its first league road trip of the season after not playing the Cardinals last season, the first time that the Wildcats had a bye against Louisville since the Cardinals joined the league. Villanova also heads to Seton Hall for the first time since 2008, where the Wildcats will face the defending BIG EAST champions from last season.

The two conference teams that Villanova misses on the BIG EAST schedule this season are Connecticut and Pittsburgh, with this marking the second time in the last four years that the Wildcats and Panthers will not meet during the regular season.

Another of the highlights on the schedule is the annual Liberty Bell Classic, held on three dates in late March and early April and including eight local teams. Villanova won the Liberty Bell Classic title last season with a win over Delaware at Citizens Bank Park in the championship game. This season the Wildcats open Liberty Bell play at Penn on March 27 and will then host a second round game on April 3, with the winner of that second contest moving on to this year's championship contest.