PITTSBURGH – The Pitt baseball team is set to take part in the third annual Big East/Big Ten Challenge hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission. The Panthers will meet up with Illinois, Iowa and Purdue during the three-day competition, Feb. 18-20.

“This is our first opportunity to participate in the Challenge and we have been matched up with three very solid teams from the Big Ten,” Pitt head coach Joe Jordano said. “We are looking forward to opening our season against such great competition.”

Pitt will face Illinois at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium on Friday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m., will take on Iowa on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Bright House Field and will round out the weekend with a 1 p.m. matchup with Purdue at Raymond A. Naimoli Complex on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The Big East/Big Ten Challenge will feature triple-headers on Friday and Saturday, and will include 24 games over three days at current and former major league facilities in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla., area.

Pitt’s full schedule is to be released at a date in the near future. Check back with http://www.PittsburghPanthers.com for updates.