BRUNSWICK — The Bowdoin College baseball team will look to win its first NESCAC title as it opens the conference tournament this afternoon against Wesleyan University.
The Polar Bears (23-13, 8-4 NESCAC) earned the second seed out of the NESCAC’s East Division and will face the West’s top seed Wesleyan (23-13- 1, 9-3 NESCAC) at 2:30 p.m. in the opening round of the double elimination tournament.
Bowdoin holds the longest active streak with four straight appearances in the NESCAC championship. The Polar Bears have finished as the runner-up in each of the past three years.
Bowdoin put together a 12- game winning streak earlier this season.
The Polar Bears boast three of the top pitchers in the conference this season. Oliver Van Zant and Henry Van Zant, along with Christian Martin all have an earned-run average under 3.00. Oliver Van Zant (3- 1) has posted a 1.12 ERA with a NESCAC-best 54 strikeouts in seven starts.
Henry Van Zant (5-2) has a 2.94 ERA with 47 strikeouts to 11 walks, and Martin (6-0) is second among starters on the team in both ERA (1.93) and strikeouts (46).
Aaron Rosen leads the team with a .350 batting average to go with 36 hits, 23 runs, 12 RBIs, three doubles and two triples.
The Polar Bears went 2-2 in last year’s NESCAC Championships, ultimately falling to Trinity in the final round. Bowdoin received an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
Players honored
Two senior members of the Bowdoin College women’s lacrosse team were recognized as First Team selections by the New England Small College Athletic Conference on Wednesday.
Senior attacker Carolyn Gorajek makes her second appearance on the NESCAC First Team after a record-breaking regular season. Gorajek has not only set career highs with 68 points and 23 assists, but her 45 goals this season ranks her second among NESCAC goal scorers.
Bowdoin senior goalie Tara Connolly earned a spot on the First Team with her stellar play between the pipes this season. Connolly has posted a NESCACbest .559 save percentage, making 123 saves and recording a 7.12 goals against average along the way. Her 45 career victories in goal is a Bowdoin record.
Bowdoin will play Geneseo State in Cortland, N.Y. in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
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