Honor Roll Games of the Week: Mar. 8 – Mar. 14

March 8, 2019

Bucknell Bison vs Santa Clara – Tuesday @ 7:30pm

Recently confirmed to join Headfirst at West Sessions 1 and 2, Santa Clara looks to turn around their 2019 season this weekend at the Silicon Valley Classic. The Broncos will play 4 games – facing Weber St., Cal St. Fullerton, Cal St. Northridge and Northern Kentucky before heading to San Jose to face Bucknell for the first time in program history.

Bucknell heads out west after winning 2 of 3 games last weekend at the District Classic, picking up wins over Howard and Brown. The Bison face a tough schedule this weekend, with games against Stanford, UNLV and UMass Lowell before facing Santa Clara on Tuesday.

Our prediction: After a trying weekend schedule, Bucknell wins this inaugural match-up against Santa  Clara.

Smith vs Wesleyan – Thursday @ 11:30 am

Bowdoin vs Smith – Thursday @ 1:45pm

Plenty of Honor Roll action on field 5 at the Hancock Recreational Complex in Clermont, FL, as these New England schools face off as part of their spring trips to kick off the 2019 season.

Smith will play 6 games over a 3 day stretch – including games against fellow Honor Roll schools Ursinus and Franklin & Marshall – before facing Wesleyan on Thursday. Their freshman class includes two Honor Roll alumni – C/IF Eryn Lee and P/IF Emma Gardecki – who will look to make their first college appearance during the Pioneers’ road trip.

Wesleyan enters the 2019 season after losing in the first round of the NESCAC Championship tournament last year. The Cardinals have three Honor Roll alumni on the roster – including freshmen 3B Kendall Mancuso and C/3B Sophia Sciarappa – and will face Smith in the third game of their 16-game road trip to start the season.

Bowdoin looks to rebound from a heartbreaking loss in the NESCAC championship game last year, taking a 2-run lead into the last inning before falling 5-3 to fellow Honor Roll program Williams. On the mound, Bowdoin returns Honor Roll alumni RHP/OF Ruby Siltanen, who contributed to the Bears’ 31-win season last year. As a freshman, Siltanen posted a 2.72 ERA in 20 appearances, going 9-1 and picking up 2 saves out of the bullpen. She was also impressive at the plate, finishing the season with a .340 AVG and driving in 12 runs.

Our prediction: Both NESCAC schools pick up victories, as Bowdoin and Wesleyan get in the win column early in 2019.