Baseball
Big Ten Basetball Tournament Set for Columbus
By Brent LaLondeIf the Ohio State baseball team can win its first Big Ten regular-season championship since 2001 this weekend, the Buckeyes won’t be rewarded by hosting the post-season conference tournament at Bill Davis Stadium.
But they won’t have to travel very far, either, regardless of if they finish first, second or third in the final Big Ten standings.
Huntington Park in downtown Columbus will host the 2009 Big Ten Baseball Tournament from May 20-23. The Big Ten Conference and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission announced in December that the new home of the triple-A Columbus Clippers would host the tournament this year. It will mark the first time in 15 years that tournament has been held at a neutral location.
Minnesota, Ohio State, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan State have all clinched spots in the tournament, which features the top six finishers in the regular season standings. Michigan, Purdue and Penn State are vying for the sixth spot. The Buckeyes are ½ game behind Minnesota after beating Iowa 13-4 on Thursday night at Bill Davis Stadium. Ohio State and Iowa play again at 6:30 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday
“Huntington Park is one of the best ballparks in the nation and will serve as the perfect backdrop as we roll out the red carpet to the players, coaches and fans,” said Linda Logan, executive director of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. “Our goal is to create an atmosphere similar to the College World Series.”
The Sports Commission and Huntington Park are the official hosts for the Big Ten Baseball Tournament under a one-year agreement with the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State is not involved in the hosting of the event. The tournament begins with two games on Wednesday and continues with a double elimination format until a champion is decided either Saturday or Sunday. A tournament bracket will be released this weekend.
“Moving the baseball tournament to a neutral site will allow the conference office and the local organizing committee to promote this event throughout the season,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney said in statement. “In addition, playing at an outstanding facility like Huntington Park will enhance the experience for our student-athletes, coaches and fans.”
Huntington Park opened on April 18 as the home of the Columbus Clippers, the triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The 2009 Big Ten Baseball Tournament will be the first special event held in the ballpark, which will also host the Ohio High School Baseball state championships later this spring.
Since the inception in 1981, the Big Ten Baseball Tournament has been played at the site of the regular-season champion or the champion from a pre-selected division, with the exception of 1993 and 1994 when it was held in Battle Creek, Mich. From 1981-99, the tournament field consisted of the conference’s top four teams. In 2000, the field expanded to include six squads.
Five different teams have been named Big Ten Tournament champion in the event’s 28 years, with Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State owning the most titles with eight each. Illinois has won the tournament three times, and Indiana has taken home the crown once. Having won the last three regular-season championships, Michigan has hosted the last three tournaments, while the event was last held in Columbus in 2001. The 2009 tournament will be the sixth overall played in the city of Columbus.
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