LEWISTON, Maine -- Bowdoin College came back from a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the sixth inning and registered a 5-3 NESCAC East Division victory over Bates College on Friday at Leahey Field.

Bates got on the board in the first inning when Tom Beaton led off with a walk, advanced to third on a passed ball and a ground ball, and scored on Chris Burke's RBI groundout.

Chris Burke struck again in the third, hitting a two-out, two-run double that scored Beaton and Dave Farrell to make it 3-0 Bates.

Bowdoin came back with a four-run sixth on five hits, including an RBI single by Joe Berte, an RBI double by Brett Gorman, and a two-run triple by Jason Koperniak.

The Polar Bears added an insurance run in the ninth as Jordan Edgett doubled and came home on a single by Reid Auger.

After allowing Bates three early runs, Bowdoin starter Tim Welch (2-3) got stronger as the game grew longer. He retired the final 11 hitters he faced before giving way to Driscoll, who pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season. Welch allowed only four hits and three walks while striking out 10 in eight innings of work.

Bates starter Ben Shwartz (3-1) suffered his first loss, going six innings and allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out two. Chuck Murphy-Romboletti came on for two scoreless innings, and Ryan Heide allowed one run in the ninth.

Gorman and Dan Hicks both had three of Bowdoin's 12 hits, with Hicks going 3-3 and Gorman 3-4.

Beaton had two of Bates' five hits, going 2-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base, while Burke drove in all three of the Bobcats' runs.

The teams will complete their three-game series tomorrow at Bowdoin at 12 p.m.

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