More Games To Be Televised This Season

CHICAGO, IL – The Big Ten Network has nearly doubled its coverage plans for the Big Ten’s baseball and softball seasons. The network will produce at least 102 baseball and softball games for the Big Ten Network or www.BigTenNetwork.com this spring.

The network will nationally televise up to 33 Big Ten baseball games, including the entire Big Ten Baseball Tournament, and stream an additional 20 games for www.BigTenNetwork.com. Twenty Two Big Ten softball games will be televised this spring, plus an additional 29 games for the internet. A selected number of streamed games will be televised on delay through the network’s Student U initiative.

Every telecast will be produced in high definition.

“We’re thrilled to expand our coverage of Big Ten baseball and softball this spring through our streaming initiative and to provide these student-athletes with a national and international stage for their talents,” Big Ten Network president Mark Silverman said.

The network’s live baseball coverage begins with the Penn State-Illinois series in Champaign.  Game one of the series is slated for 7 PM ET on Friday, April 2, and will be streamed live at www.BigTenNetwork.com.  The network’s first telecast of the season will be at 7 PM ET on Friday, April 9, as Michigan hosts Purdue.

Forty-four games on the Big Ten Network baseball schedule will be conference matchups, including the entire Big Ten Baseball Tournament, played Wednesday, May 26, through Saturday, May 29. The 2010 tournament will be played at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio State finished atop the 2009 Big Ten regular season baseball standings with an 18-6 conference record, but Indiana took home the tournament title.  The Buckeyes and Hoosiers were joined in last year’s NCAA Tournament by Minnesota.

The Big Ten Network’s live softball coverage begins with the Illinois State-Iowa game in Iowa City.  First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM ET on Wednesday, March 24, and the game will be streamed live. The network’s first live softball telecast of the year is set for 1 PM ET on Saturday, April 3, as Michigan State takes on Minnesota in East Lansing.

The Big Ten features three teams listed in the USA Softball preseason top 25, including No. 3 Michigan, No. 16 Ohio State and No. 17 Northwestern.  The Wolverines won the Big Ten in 2009 with a 17-3 conference mark and a season record of 47-12. Overall, six Big Ten teams earned NCAA Tournament bids in 2009, including Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue and Women’s College World Series participant, Michigan.

2010 Big Ten Network Baseball Schedule

April 2 Penn State at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM BTN.com
April 3 Penn State at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM BTN.com
April 4 Penn State at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 1 PM BTN.com
April 7 Central Michigan at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 3 PM BTN.com
April 9 Indiana at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 6:30 PM BTN.com
April 9 Illinois at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 7 PM BTN.com
April 9 Purdue at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 7 PM Big Ten Network
April 10 Purdue at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 1 PM Big Ten Network
April 10 Indiana at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
April 10 Illinois at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 2 PM BTN.com
April 11 Purdue at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 12 PM Big Ten Network
April 11 Indiana at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
April 11 Illinois at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 2 PM BTN.com
April 13 Toledo at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 3 PM BTN.com
April 16 Michigan at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM BTN.com
April 17 Ohio State at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 1 PM Big Ten Network
April 17 Michigan at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM BTN.com
April 18 Michigan at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 2 PM BTN.com
April 20 Notre Dame at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 6:30 PM BTN.com
April 23 Indiana at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 7 PM Big Ten Network
April 24 Indiana at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 7 PM Big Ten Network
April 25 Indiana at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 2 PM Big Ten Network
April 27 Bradley at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM BTN.com
April 30 Northwestern at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 1 Northwestern at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM Big Ten Network
May 2 Northwestern at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 4 PM Big Ten Network
May 4 Louisville at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 7 Illinois at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 6:30 PM BTN.com
May 7 Iowa at Penn State State College, Pa. 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 8 Illinois at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
May 8 Iowa at Penn State State College, Pa. 4 PM Big Ten Network
May 9 Iowa at Penn State State College, Pa. 11 AM Big Ten Network
May 9 Illinois at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM BTN.com
May 12 Ball State at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 6 PM BTN.com
May 14 Indiana at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 2 PM Big Ten Network
May 15 Indiana at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 12 PM Big Ten Network
May 15 Purdue at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 1 PM Big Ten Network
May 16 Indiana at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 1 PM Big Ten Network
May 20 Minnesota at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 21 Minnesota at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7 PM Big Ten Network
May 22 Minnesota at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 PM Big Ten Network

Big Ten Baseball Tournament (Columbus, Ohio)

May 26 Big Ten Tournament Game 1 TBD Big Ten Network

May 26 Big Ten Tournament Game 2 TBD Big Ten Network

May 27 Big Ten Tournament Game 3 TBD Big Ten Network

May 27 Big Ten Tournament Game 4 TBD Big Ten Network

May 27 Big Ten Tournament Game 5 TBD Big Ten Network

May 28 Big Ten Tournament Game 6 TBD Big Ten Network

May 28 Big Ten Tournament Game 7 TBD Big Ten Network

May 28 Big Ten Baseball Tournament Semifinals TBD Big Ten Network

May 29 Big Ten Baseball Tournament Semifinals TBD Big Ten Network

May 29 Big Ten Baseball Championship TBD Big Ten Network

May 30 Big Ten Baseball Championship (if necessary) TBD Big Ten Network

All Times Eastern