BRYAN, Texas — College baseball is making a highly-anticipated return to television this Thursday, June 4, with The Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational (CSBI). ESPN2 will debut the event on the national stage, marking the first American team sports returning to the air since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, and the last chance for elite players to impress scouts prior to the upcoming MLB draft.
The first two games will air on the network tomorrow at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. CST. Game one will feature the CSBI Unity team, coached by LaTroy Hawkins vs. the CSBI Liberty team, led by Steve Hecht. Game two will feature the CSBI Freedom team, coached by Drew Sutton vs. the CSBI Independence team, led by Jorge Hernandez. Commentary and expert analysis will be provided by Kyle Peterson, ESPN analyst and former MLB pitcher, and Jason Benetti, ESPN and White Sox play-by-play announcer. The final two days of the tournament will be available via pay-per-view subscription for $39.95 on csbi2020.com.
Over 70 Division I schools from across the country will be represented in the tournament, including Auburn, Texas Tech, South Carolina, Alabama, Oregon State, TCU and North Carolina State. The coaching staff is comprised of former major league players with notable athletes, such as LaTroy Hawkins and Drew Sutton, who will lead the teams throughout the tournament.
"Baseball has united us throughout the history of this country and we're truly blessed to be able to come back to share some much-needed relief during these difficult times," said Uri Geva, the visionary behind CSBI. "We're continuing to work closely with local health officials to ensure the safety of all involved during this event."
Five percent of each subscription fee will be donated to No Kid Hungry, an organization dedicated to ending child hunger in the U.S.
